The Guardian (Closed)

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The Spirit's stern and vengeful look softened slightly as she looked down at Agis laying on the ground before her. Gone was the anger and rebellion he had shown her before when he'd stolen back his heart, tears in his pale eyes now as he pleaded for Mirela's life. She'd wanted to break his defiance and have him brought low before her once more, and it seemed she had gotten just that.

"I know you do, my pet." she told him pityingly.

Stepping forward, she knelt down before him, one of her hands reaching out and smoothing soothingly over the top of his head and through his hair before sliding her fingertips beneath his chin and keeping his head tipped upwards to meet her gaze.

"But that is your mistake as well my dear Guardian. Do you not remember what your last 'love' brought you? Is mortal memory so short? You should have kept your heart in my safe keeping. I could have protected it as I did before when you first came to me, but now..."

A strangled coughing sound is heard from within the vines surrounding Mirela, then sudden silence.

 

[ThaDonger]

Humiliation set in on his face as lays before her on the ground. Blood from the bite of the wolf drips from his shoulder. He pulls his head away in defiance. Her belittling speach directed to him and her choice of the word pet couldn't have been more accurate. At least until Mirela came into his life and rekindled a passion for living.

He hears the gargling desperation for breath beneath the vines. Agis loooks to the Spirit, his eyes wide "Stop!" he yells out, picking himself up on his hands. "Spare her and I'll surrender."

The vines go quiet, no evidence of struggle or life. Tears stream from his eyes, creating muddy trails down his dirt cover face. He feels a hate begin to grow deep inside him. He looks up from below her, "Your no spirit, no goddess."

His gazed fixed on her, his pupils elongate from top to bottom as they turn ice blue. "You're nothing more than a witch, preying on others."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The pitying look within the Spirit's eyes faded as Agis looked up at her and she could feel his anger growing, her eyes narrowing at him in response to his words and at the change she saw within his own pale pupils.

"Will you try and use your powers against me now, Guardian? Against I, I who gave them to you?!" she questioned him.

Angered by his defiance and the way he had pulled his head away from her touch she gripped his long hair at his nape, harshly jerking him up to his knees before her.

"You have known me better than anyone, my Guardian. You have seen both my benevolence and my rage. You should have known better than to break your vows to me."

 

[ThaDonger]

He tries to his best to hide the pain and his weakness as she lifts him to his knees. His chest swells with each breath. Even with the amount of rage coursing through his viens, she frightened him.

Agis turns his attention back to the tree, the thick cocoon of viens, desperate for a sign, any sign from Mirela. His eyes turn back to the spirit, the long pupils widening as he stares into the face that lured him a thousand years ago.

In a soft, broken voice, "Let her live her life and I'll rip my heart out and burn it before your eyes, never to be tempted again," Agis pleads with her, "I'll remain at your side, for all eternity. Just give her her life back."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Agis's plea and the sudden brokenness in his tone caught the Spirit off guard. She released her hold on him, looking behind her at the cocoon of vines encasing Mirela and then back at him with surprise.

"For eternity.. are you sure?" she asked him, her emerald green eyes searching his pale blue slitted ones.

Was he being truthful...or was this another deception like when he'd previously pleaded for the woman back within the tree only to try and leave the forest with her anyways after she'd agreed to spare her. Did he truly understand what he was pledging himself to now?

"Eternity is...an incredibly long time my Guardian," she explained softly, releasing a sigh that revealed she was speaking from her own experience now, "If you were truly so miserable and lonely within my wood after even less than a thousand years of service how do you suppose you would feel after having to endure a million more... longer even?"

 

[ThaDonger]

With her hold relaxed, Agis reaches with his hand touching tge wound on his shoulder. He wasn't particularly worried about it, just more of a nuisance than painful.

His attention turns back to the Spirit. "If it means she lives, so be it." He tells her.

Agis stands to feet, his naked body covered in mub, sweat, blood and everything else the forest had thrown at him. "She should not have to pay that price for my actions."

He decides to take a gamble and approaches the Spirit. Walking cautiously towards her , he reaches out for her hand, touching it with the tip of his fingers.

"Truely you understand that," he tells her as he looks back into her eyes. "Haven't you ever been in love?"

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The Spirit gazed back into Agis' eyes with surprise for a moment at the question before her gaze drifted down to his fingertips brushing over her hand, a far off look coming into her eyes. It was a while before she finally spoke, a touch of sadness hinting at her tone when she did.

"Once... when the world was younger and there were still more of my kind," she admitted, shaking her head softly as she added, "But that was so very long ago..."

She lifted her gaze back up to him, noting the bite wound still bleeding upon his shoulder, taking in his beaten and disheveled appearance.

"And then I found you.. lost in my wood, heartbroken, not looking so very different than you do now..." she continued, lifting her hand that he had touched and placing it softly upon his shoulder.

Instantly the wound disappeared.

"And I'd thought perhaps, some day..."

Her eyes looked up into his as they stood before one another, a touch of regret shining within their depths.

"Oh, my dear Guardian..." she moved the hand to touch his cheek lightly, "If only you had come to me with your loneliness instead..."

 

[ThaDonger]

In an instance the pain subsided as she layed her hand on his shoulder. He looks, hardly believing what had just happened. Her words rekindle the thoughts and memories of when he first met her, when he was at his lowest.

Agis thought she was beautiful and in her presence he felt at peace. But over the years, he saw less and less of her until she stopped coming to see him all together.

"Maybe one day what?" he ask.

"Why did you enslave me, then abandon me here all alone?" he says puzzled. "I vowed to protect you, to give my life for you and you left."

"Oh, my dear Guardian...If only you had come to me with your loneliness instead..."

He lowers his head into her touch. He closes his eyes. Never has she been so intimate with him. "You had to have known I was lonely..." He opens his eyes and looks up at her, "that I needed you."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The Spirit was struck by Agis' words. She shook her head slightly.

"It was never my intention to abandon you," she swore to him, then sighed softly with regret, her thumb softly tracing over his cheek as she looked down into his eyes.

"I suppose I lost track of time," she explained apologetically, "I forget how long the years seem to mortals compared to I, and we both had our own separate work to do. I growing and tended to the forest, while you protected it from outsiders. I'd always assumed that there would be plenty of time once your service was completed, but... it seems I waited too long."

Her gaze wandered over to the vines encasing Mirela. Slowly they unraveled and withdrew from the young woman until her still form lay upon the ground at the base of the tree.

 

[ThaDonger]

The viens rustle and scrap against the tree and one another as they ascend back ito the canopy. Agis temains still, eyes fixated on Mirela's limb body as it falls to the ground.

Looking back at the Spirit, his pale blue eyes flooding with sarrow, "It can't be. There must be a compromise."

He attention moves back to Mirela, Agis wants to run to her but dose not dare. He places his hand on the Spirits wrist, holding her hand to his face. "She was not like the others. What can I do? I'll do anything, bring her back...please."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

As the Spirit looked into Agis' eyes she could not help but see the deepness of his sorrow within them over Mirela's lifeless form, nor did she miss the way in which his body tensed as he restrained himself from going to her. Despite the jealousy and rage that she had felt over his betrayal before, she could not help but feel moved by his open heartbreak and desperate pleas.

Removing her hand from his face she placed it over her own chest where a small, white, softly glowing flower suddenly grew forth and bloomed. Gently plucking it, she handed it to him.

"If you are truly willing to trade an eternity of enslavement for her life then take this to her, but you will need to act quickly," she explained, "If her spirit has wandered too far in death then it may not be able to make its way back, even if her body has been healed."

 

[ThaDonger]

Agis looks up at the Spirit as she removes her hand. The small white glow from her chest mesmerizes him.

"If you are truly willing to trade an eternity of enslavement for her life then take this to her, but you will need to act quickly," she explained, "If her spirit has wandered too far in death then it may not be able to make its way back, even if her body has been healed."

Agis hesitates for a moment. What trick does the Spirit hold up her sleeve. His scared, battle torn hand gently touches the Sirits slender fingers as he removes the flower. He walks slowly, his body still sore and has yet to recoup from the fight with the wolves.

Approaching Mirela's side, Agis bends to a single knee and places the small flower on her chest, directly above her heart.

"Your life means more than my own," he whispered under his breath to her.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The Spirit remained where she was, watching from afar as Agis slowly walked and placed the small, glowing flower over Mirela's heart and whispered to her.

As he did the did the softly glowing light of the small pale flower gave a small pulse, brightening to a warm golden gleam. Suddenly before his very eyes the flower seemed to separate into countless, glowing and dust-like fragments, each one drifting and settling down upon Mirela's skin before seemingly being absorbed by it, the skin upon her chest shimmering where they landed.

Slowly, the glow upon her skin began to spread, soft tendrils of light swirling and spreading over her skin until all at once it seemed that her entire body was suddenly bathed in light. The marks upon her limbs and necks, bruises from the tightness of the vines, faded and vanished. The scratches and cuts from her running from the wolves healed before his very eyes.

At first her body remained hopelessly still, but then finally as the light faded she began to stir slightly, her eyes slowly opening to look up at him.

"Agis?"

 

[ThaDonger]

His eyes widen as the flower separated and fell to Mirela's body. A small smile crossed his face for only a moment but faded as the dust absorbed in to her then faded. Her body healled, but Agis feared her spirit may have traveled to far.

He layed his hand on the side of her face as he watches her face from above. The slightest of movement he could see. Her eyes beneath her lids move side to side as suddenly he sees her chest fill with air.

"Agis?"

His name never sounded better until that moment. He scoops her head into his arms and pulls her tight against him. He holds her for what could have been an eternity to him. But then reality set in. He loosens his hold on her, leaning away. He gently brushes her hair from her face.

"Listen my love. I want you to get up and walk. Do not look back." He tells her, caressing her face with his fingers.

Agis stands, turns to the Spirit. "Thank you. Now, I will uphold my vow."

His breathing is deep as his chest fills and empties. Agis takes his right hand and begins to force it between two ribs. The sound of his bones cracking fills the air ss blood streams down his body.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Mirela's eyes had only been able to take in Agis' face for a moment before he'd swept her into his arms and pulled her tight to him, but she'd been unable to help but noticed the muddy streaks of tears upon his handsome face, the look of relief in his eyes. Had he been crying over her? What had happened?

The last she'd remembered she was surrounded by the vines, their weight slowly tightening around her until she'd struggled to breathe, unable to see but still hearing him as he'd argued and fought with the Spirit. Had he defeated her?

She could not dwell on it in that moment, for she was too consumed by his embrace, so relieved to be back within his arms. She closed her eyes and held him tightly, her arms wrapping around him as he held her head against his chest, a sob of sudden joy escaping her when she heard a soft sound and realized it was the beat of his heart that she was hearing for the first time. She could have stayed like that with him for forever, but all too soon his hold loosened.

"Listen my love. I want you to get up and walk. Do not look back."

She looked at him with confusion as she brushed her hair back and caressed her face. Why would he tell her such a thing? It was then that he stood and turned, and for the first time since waking she noticed the Spirit as she stood silently a ways from them. Instantly she tensed in surprise and fear. She was still here?!

"Thank you. Now, I will uphold my vow."

She bolts upright in horror as he begins to force his hand between two of his ribs and she heard the cracking sound of his bones. Instead of turning, walking away from him however she moves towards him.

"Agis, no!" she cries as she rushed to him, her hand upon his arm to try and still him, ignoring the sight of the blood and her own fears, "Stop this, please!"

She turns to the Spririt.

"Please, I beg of you Spirit, do not make him do this again. Has he not suffered enough? Whatever debt he may still owe to you, please...let me pay it instead."

 

[ThaDonger]

Falling to his knees, his hand now buried to the wrist inside his chest. Fingers wrapping around the pumping muscle. Agis searches for the mental strength, squeezing tighter with his fist before pulling, clearing his chest in one fluid motion with a loud scream "NO!!"

As his chest spills to the forest floor, the ribs and wound heal before Mirela's eyes. Agis falls to his hands and knees, releasing his beating heart. "No Mirela my love, this is my fault and my burden."

An all to familiar feeling washes over his body, a cold, lifeless feeling. He slowly stands to his feet while leaving his heart laying discarded on the ground. He stares into the eyes of the spirit before reaching out with a blood soaked arm. "One last request?" Stepping towards the Spirit, "Let her take the heart and leave. My body will remain with you."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Mirela's hands had moved to cover her mouth and muffle her cry of horror as she watched Agis tear his own heart from within his chest, her eyes growing wide at the sight of the still beating muscle as he released it onto the ground before them.

"No Mirela my love, this is my fault and my burden."

She shook her head, her hands dropping down from her face as hot tears began to run down her cheeks

"No, it's not. It's not your fault, Agis," she whispered to him as he rose to stand before the Spirit, "All you did was love me... and I love you too."

"One last request?" Stepping towards the Spirit, "Let her take the heart and leave. My body will remain with you."

Tears still streaming down her cheeks as she heard Agis' request, Mirela slowly reached out and carefully took Agis' discarded heart up within her hands, cradling it gently against her chest. Her expression grave, the Spirit turned from Agis' gaze and looked at the woman for a moment before fixing her gaze back upon his.

Reaching her hand out, she took his bloody hand into her own. Instantly as she did all of the blood and dirt upon him disappeared, all of his wound and cuts from his battle with the wolves and his run through the forest vanishing as well.

"As impressive a body as it is, Agis," she told him as her eased moved over him for a moment before returning to meet his eyes, "It was always your heart that I prized."

 

[ThaDonger]

As the Spirit received his hand a calm came over his body. His mind was at rest as suddenly all his pain was gone. His eyes closed slowly as Agis relished in the peace.

"It was always your heart that I prized."

His eyes creep open and looks down examining his body. The wounds, the scars, dirt and mud vanished. Agis returns his gaze to the Spirit. "Why?" he questions her, "why mine?"

He pulls his hand from the Spirits, confused and frankly a little nervous. "Why hide me? Why imprison for something you could have earned?" He looks down at his chest, "for something I would have freely given to you if you deserved it."

Agis reaches to his side, taking Mirela's hand in his, "No, I honored my vow and removed it. You get worthless vessel" he says in a defiant tone.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Agis had so many questions. The Spirit supposed now that she shouldn't be surprised by this, though he had never questioned her so openly before. Is this truly how he had felt all of this time? Her eyebrows lifted slightly at his declaration that she should have tried to earn his heart, that she did not deserve it.

"Deserve?" she questioned.

This was a new concept to her. She had never had to earn something from a mortal before or bother to explain her actions to them. Who were they after all to question her? She could have been angered by his defiance but instead she watched with interest as he took Mirela's hand within his own, the woman gripping his back tightly as she continued to hold his beating heart protectively to her chest.

"No, I honored my vow and removed it. You get worthless vessel"

She smirked slightly.

"You also said that you would burn it so as not to be tempted again, you should count yourself lucky that I don't hold it to it, but that is not something that I want..."

She eyed Mirela contemplatively for a moment.

"This woman, you obviously believe that she is deserving of your heart. What then has she done to earn it in such a short time?"

 

[ThaDonger]

Agis lowers his eyes for a moment, his hand holding Mirela close to him. There were so many, so many reasons why he loves her. Lifting his head, his voice more somber than before.

"She wanted nothing in return. Just me, the true me." He told her in a calm voice.

He released his hold on Mirela and began to approach the Spirit. Standing before her, naked and unashamed, he reaches to the Spirits face and touches her cheek. "I was here for you, devoted to you, vowed to always be with you." Agis' hand caresses your face gently.

He surprised at how beautiful she feels. The glow of her skin, the magic and power that it contains is intoxicating. He pushes it to the back of his thoughts. "You chose to abandon me, to hide me in plain site from everything. You didn't need a guardian, not with your powers.."

He drops his hand from the Spirits face, tilts his head as he stares into her eyes, "I was yours, until I wasn't. Take the vessel, do as you will with it. Leave Mirela with what she earned."

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The Spirit had not been expecting for Agis to reach out for her as he had, his touch against her cheek surprisingly disarming her for a moment as she watched him.

"I was here for you, devoted to you, vowed to always be with you."

Her head tilted into his touch as he caressed her face, not unlike the way he had in response to her before. Her eyes shut briefly, her thoughts going back to their first years together and the pledges that he had made to her.

"You chose to abandon me, to hide me in plain site from everything. You didn't need a guardian, not with your powers.."

She tensed at the accusation, her eyes opening and meeting his with a regretful look as she felt his hand drop away.

"I was yours, until I wasn't. Take the vessel, do as you will with it. Leave Mirela with what she earned."

Her jewel-like deep emerald eyes grew glossy and glimmering with emotion as the realization of just how unfair to him she'd been, how much she had taken his devotion and presence within her wood for granted. She'd been distrustful of him because he was a mortal and had thought that she'd needed to hold him captive to keep him with her for as long as she'd wished, but in truth that had not been the case. He'd given himself to her completely...but now that was not the case.

"No," she told him softly in reply to his request.

 

[ThaDonger]

He stands before her, dumbfounded. How could she be so heartless, so selfish. His eyes locked on hers as he slowly nods his head. He knows what he must do, it's not what he wants, but what needs to be done.

Agis turns and walks back to Mirela, reaches out and places his hand upon hers. "Dry your tears my love, I will always be yours."

He takes the beating muscle from her arms, smiles softly at her before turning back to the Spirit. Approaching again, he holds the hunk of flesh in his palm, high. "You want me to fulfill my vow? Burn this useless mass so it never tempts me again?!" Agis yells to the Spirit. "So be it!"

His pupils elongate as his skin turns to scales. Leather like skin grows from each arm as large claws and horns rip from his body. His head tilts to the sky as his massive frame grows, sending trees crashing to the ground.

The massive dragon that is now Agis sends a stream of plasma high over the trees before looking back at the Spirit and the heart now laying at her feet. Pressing the wings into the soil, Agis chest fills with oxygen as he pulls the air in through his nostrils. As his jaw lowers and his head raises up, the bright yellow and red flame shines at the back of his mouth.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The Spirit's eyes grew wide with amazement as she watched Agis' transformation. She had never seen him so impassioned, had never seen him exhibit such power before and attempt so complicated a transformation.

"Enough!" she finally cried, a streak of lightening flashing just over his head with a loud crash.

In an instant she had vanished, his heart along with her, until suddenly she reappeared just in front of Mirela, knowing that he would not attempt to shoot his fiery breath at her with his love so near.

"Calm yourself, Agis and let me finish!" she commanded in a stern tone before her expression suddenly softened again.

"No, I will not simply take your body and leave Mirela with your heart... because I want you to go with her," she continued, her arm extending the heart out to him, "Agis... I release you of your vows to me."

 

[ThaDonger]

The Spirits command muffled by the swelling of his lungs. It's not until the crack of energy burst above his head the he snaps. Startled by the loud boom, Agis lifts his head and releases a short, pent up burst, scorching the tops of a couple trees.

Looking back, finding the her by Mirela, his large tail crushing rocks and trees as it swings with his body. "You harm her, I'll burn this forest to the ground!"

"Calm yourself, Agis and let me finish!"

His breathing deep as he focus on the Spirit. He knows her strength, her power. Even in this form he is no match. A calm comes over him.

"No, I will not simply take your body and leave Mirela with your heart... because I want you to go with her,"

He can feel her influence upon him decrease. The anger, the rage lessen. His form slowly shrinking with the absence of pain.

"Agis... I release you of your vows to me."

His body lay on the ground, weak as he looks up at her. "What game is this?" He questions her in disbelief. He slowly stands to his feet and approaches with caution. Taking his heart from her hand, he stands before her "Why?"

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

"So I can earn it... deserve it," the Spirit replied, "...No games."

Her eyes looked up into his as she placed his heart back within his hands.

"You were right... It was wrong of me to try and make you a prisoner here so that you would have to stay.. instead of just trying to be the kind of person that you would want to stay with on your own," she told him softly, "If I kept you with me now I would only be making the same mistake all over again... and every moment I would know that it was really her that you wanted to be with, not me."

She reached up and touched his cheek, caressing it softly again with her fingers as she gave him a sad smile.

"So take it, and her, and go," she whispered, "Go wherever you would like my Guardian.

She leaned in closer, resting her hand upon his heart in his hands.

"And know that if you should ever change your mind, you are always welcome within my wood..."

Closing the last bit of distance between them, she brought her lips to his in a soft and lingering kiss, at the same time her hand moving to take his heart and press it back into his own chest, the organ beginning to glow and then dissolving back into him as it done when he had retrieved it himself from the tree.