Lull and lash, lively tongue. Each archaic syllable write invitation. Meant to soothe, meant to scratch, meant to Arms bend stiff with fingers on both hands mingling before a concealed face. Tutting. Such bizarre and complex dance by each party of five, it aids an unspoken ambition. For when all is said and done, the summoning comes to fruition.
About me: Due to my own incredible susceptibility to the phenomenon known as "I done goof" and led me to not pay very close attention, my profile had become pathetically barren. =3=;
I write though, I promise. ;A;/
But amendments towards putting back its many details shall be made when the time comes when I am no longer enslaved by the nigh-almighty laziness. xD
In a matter of minutes, the quadruped she'd felled had been disemboweled, all his meat and some of his bone had been neatly cleaned and parceled, and she had begun to prepare the meat. She had an ample supply of salts and even a few herbs in her gear for such an occasion, but in truth, it somewhat was theater: the incredible attributes of the Fialin stomach ensured that she would never be felled by an ingested toxin or lifeform, barring entry through the lungs rather than the gullet. Still, letting others believe she needed cured food to survive (or preserving it in case she decided to pawn it at the next marketplace) could be of some use. It never hurt to allow your enemies to underestimate you, particularly when you weren't even sure /where/ or /who/ they were yet. She rubs down the larger cuts with ground salt, neatly stowing them away in paper to avoid a mess in her pack, before rummaging around for some forlorn shard of flint. Jerky; jerky would prove useful, particularly since they would be less likely to attract unwanted attention from predators and scavengers on account of smell. Really, she could survive on the splintery flesh of oaks and conifers if she needed, though it'd require much more tree flesh than animal flesh in order to keep her body running at its prime.
/Crik, crik, crik./ As she strikes the flint above the little gathering of undampened tinder and dry stones she'd managed to find, her hands shake a tad, even if she was uncharacteristically oblivious to the cold. She looks past the melted, marred skin of her hands to the materials below, eyebrow furrowed in concentration. /Smoke, smoke, smoke already../ She only needed the faintest glow beneath the stones in order to warm them, enough of a tiny blaze to dry strips of meat without sending up billows of smoke that served as a signal quite unasked for. She's just beginning to get proper sparks to catch, to smell the faintest singe of wood, when unearthly shrieks and howls erupt from elsewhere, even making her jump in their sudden manner; making a creature with total vision and adept senses jolt with surprise was no small feat, and far be it for such an achievement to be wasted on an event unworthy of it.
She springs immediately to her feet, eyes sharp, pointer and middle finger even tugging down her scarf so she could better smell her surroundings, yet there is nothing aside from screaming; it continues long enough for her to realize it isn't echoing frighteningly from all around her, but shudders through the frozen air from the east, at least a few miles or more. The translation, at least for her, was that she needn't worry about this disturbance, particularly since it sounded like masses were being culled rather than offhand strangers like herself being shot or gutted, but she is nevertheless curious; if her instinct hadn't prodded insistently about how it was thinly-veiled suicide to approach such a sound without much intel regarding what had caused it or even what caused it to cease rather abruptly, she might have scampered off in her spritely, ethereal manner to investigate. Instead, she scowls, returning to the fire she'd been meaning to start with some level of distaste; the smoke she smelled now was too copious and vile to be from her modest stack of plant material. She ignores it for now, only taking a pair of strikes this time to get the shy ember-glow she's looking for, and sets the thinner strips of meat to dry over the rudimentary coals. She wolfs down a few raw cuts of meat, washing it down with a handful of cleaner snow that instantly turns to liquid in her hotter-than-it-appeared mouth, and reclines a bit while she eyes both the shriveling meats and the direction the terrible sounds had come from. Faintly, she smelled the stale scents of agony, of fear, of hostility, as unstriking as they were expected, which was not to say much.
/Even this kingdom is far from prosperous, it seems../ She hefts a sigh, wiping her mouth with the exposed fingers of one hand and tugging the scarf back over her lower face with the other. /It would have been naive to expect somewhere peaceful, of course, but asking for a place that isn't in some kind of turmoil or war.. well, that shouldn't have been so tall a request. I chose the wrong direction to travel./ Shaking her head in faint aggravation, it's only then that she notices a scent not so stale, growing stronger rather than weaker as it's carried to her in the boughs of the wind. Female, and distressed, though whether or not it was simply from the cold, she couldn't say. A while later still, she hears distant footsteps, light as a chipmunk's bounds but with a little more respect for the world at large. Human, or at least human-shaped, if the gait was any indication.. but she didn't smell the vicious hostility that had come to her much earlier, though there was no lack of fear. Eventually, the scents stop growing more intense, as though the individual owner of them had stopped approaching, and it's this rather than the odd signs before that finally causes her to rise for good. Most of her meat had been packed safely away, along with most of the ivory and horn; she would lose nothing if some scavenger, whether human or animal, came along for the things she left out to dry now. From her massive pack of cargo emerges a pair of gauntlets, oddly teal-tinged in their blackness and looking more like obsidian than colored steel, but formed of an alloy alien to this continent rather than something familiar. Jackal's Plate, peoples from her lands had called it, and forged exclusively by various colonies of her kind when the materials for it were rich. Less weighty than the iron many bore, but more durable than the steels and iron-blends many royal guards wore; quite the commodity, and while she had been unable to take her similarly-impenetrable Jackal's Mail with her, she carried with her pieces of the complete armor, enough to give her quite the advantage should she wish to arm herself. Instead of donning all of this, however, she merely armors herself with the gauntlets she'd taken along, drawing bizarre, curved swords as a secondary measure, and travels in the direction of the scent.
What she finds is an unconscious woman, surrounded by a more pronounced layer of winter dusting, and looking like she'd been /equipped/ to handle the frigid temperatures in this temperate forest.. but not something else. Perplexed, she flips one of the twin hookswords to face backwards rather than face the sleeping victim, using her armored knuckles to gently nudge first the side of the woman, then her supple cheek. She didn't /smell/ dead just yet, nor did she smell afflicted by any specific disease or ailments. The pronounced scent of fear was still hovering about her, though fading, and though she could still smell the dwindling plumes of smoke in the farther distance, she couldn't sense the source of this lady's distress. /What in Bedlam's happened here?/ If she'd been startled by a beast of prey, she wouldn't have lived like this to tell the tale.
She gives her another gentle nudge, frowning beneath her scarf; she didn't want to move this woman elsewhere, since if she had a memorized route to return home in mind, she'd be unable to find it if her mental map had been thrown askew while she unwillingly slumbered
O_O Nice comment.... :O I am still ironing out the back ground and the world he is from. But It is high time I start getting a feel for this version of Ashura. :D I accept the terms of the start. :O Ashura, with a group of his friends, were messing with a magical item, of untold abilities. It was then the light engulfed them, and they were gone. I am one of the four Dragon brothers. :D So traveling to a new world, is a typical, yet fresh way to get the ball rolling. Note; Ashura would always be in the world for a few days. If that is acceptable.�
She rubbed her shoulders, and eyed the corner of the room. The listener sat in the shadows, while she stood a few feet away, just enough to bask in the light of the moon. Not often did she break her poised, power-pose like posture, but the subject he brought up apparently knocked her guard down, leaving her to stand in obvious discomfort.�
Serenity lowered her hands and turned her gaze back to the shadowed figure. Though he was hard to see, the silhouette of his figure outlined his masculinity, and his rather comfortable resting position; one leg crossed over the other, leaning back, elbow resting on the arm rest, head resting against gloved knuckles. Bastard showed interest in her story, probably because of the unsettling feeling that took no time to overcome her.�
She continued on, attempting to stand tall and powerful.�
"W-well its all for fun, you know? I've come across ... enough men in my past, well enough to give me some pretty priceless experiences. Though, that one you mentioned.... him in particular... is one I'd rather not remember. I had no idea he surpassed me on the top wanted UVG Blacklist, but... I could definitely�see how."
Closing her eyes, she mumbled to herself, not realizing she was drooping her head downward. Just the thought of that man left her mind to crumble. �
"Look, I've changed since then. Whatever info I have on him now will be no use to you. Its been far too long..."
He responded in a low growl.
"I just want to know some details about your relationship."
There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. Steadily, she raised her head just enough to peak through the strands of silver. "He... is... unnatural... an evil... a gross horrible .... ugh..." She swung around, turning her back on the man, as she took a few paces forward. Her hand clutched her chin, while her teeth sank into the flesh of her finger, digging in before letting go.
"The UVG referred to him as Larzu or Larz. We are very similar and our DNA is close to matching, but we are of a different parasitic breed. Both Larz and I were not contained in the same laboratory, but we were discovered around the exact time."
She paced herself over to the wall, leaning against it, facing out the window. A full red moon illuminated parts of the room to be tinged in a reddish-violet color. Across from her the man remained sitting; his foot swaying back and forth in interest. He knows this, she thought. Useless information. Serenity sighed and folded her arms against bosom.�
"We officially met during a skirmish with some UVG flagships. He has a similar design to my ship; organically created, a monster vessel... far more larger." Her eye brow twitched. "We collaborated and annihilated the fleet. It took no time at all... especially with all the help he had."
"So he had his own army?"
"... I guess you can say that."
"The records state that the terrorist known as Larzu has a great power. One like your own"
"That is true... but its... not the same."
"Electromagnetism is quite powerful, but Larzu..."
"--Larzu's power is.... Volukinesis- Entomopathy~ whatever you want to call it. It's basically the ability to control insects... But as you probably already know, he takes his to a whole 'nother level."
Serenity shivered at a random thought associated with the Insect God.�
"And its not just of the Earthly type; Alien species... mutant critters... giant arachnids... humanoid insect warriors."
"Mhm... it was years and years ago, but he mentioned creating the Universe's most adaptive species."
"The way he does it?"
"Evolution. He chooses specific types of insects to breed with other species, aliens, humanoids. He accomplishes this by invading other worlds, taking what he needs, and ...."
She was quiet for a moment, hiding her face under her palm.
"That seems impossible."
"Sometimes it is and there are times when it isn't. Trial and error was his motto... look, I got to go... I would give you more information if I could. Truth is, it was a short moment. I disbanded when I saw how gruesome his research was; even for me."
Her eyes widened as a black moth fluttered past her, landing against the glass of the window she was peering out of.
A bright white smile shined on the face of the silhouette, standing just yards away from the elevator shaft. With a few steps forward, the shadow revealed her curvaceous figure, illuminated perfectly under a well-placed spotlight.
"Kavahki, thank you for your assistance. You are excused, but feel free to stay if you wish."
Long distinctive silver tresses draped over the woman's shoulders. Her attire resembled that of a commanding officer- military type gear, rather professional despite shady rumors. Bold crimson eyes focused on the young woman, then to the man; the King and Princess of Avalon.
Her gaze was calm as she took in their presence, examining their features subtly and swift.
"I hope you enjoyed your flight."
She snickered, taking a gander at the environment around them; her metallic city- a technological society. The galactic pirate could only assume they were not familiar with places like her domain. From the data collected and the pictures received, Avalon appeared very beautiful and not so robotically dominated in the slightest.
"My name is Serenity, pleased to finally meet the both of you face to face." Again, she displayed proper mannerisms refuting many gossips held against her imposed by the Galactic News, and common whispers. With graceful form, she placed a gentle palm over her heart and bowed in respect. "I'm very glad you came. I was unsure if you two would show up. Emperor Raijin spoke very highly of you and your kingdom. I'm happy to be of assistance."
She raised up, smiling, sliding loose strands of silver to the side behind her jeweled crested ear. "Come, this shouldn't take too long. Now� let me show you my recent models." Getting to business, Serenity extended her hand out in a show casing gesture.
"This is the Chulyen. It's basically a craft that excels in both agility and offensive maneuvering. If you ever come across intergalactic hostiles during your voyage, this craft comes in handy for evading and counter attacking- Its fast, I promise. It has a Fusion Power Plant powering its core; armored in advanced metallic laminate and equipped with a fixed and improved laser and launcher .-though I wouldn't recommend engaging battles without proper practice. The Chulyen wasn't designed to take on heavy attacks. I focused more on its stealth properties. I can explain more about the functions and the material put in, but lets see the other two first, shall we?"
"I call this one Corvus. For this model I focused on armor, shield barriers, and defense. I would recommend this for front line�battle, as it can take many hits and can gradually repair itself overtime. It's a tank type, good for infiltration as well- armored with nanocomposite exotic material. Its powered by a star-drive�engine, equipped with laser turrets, gattling guns, and a prototype mirror shield barrier�" She tilted her head to the side, nearly forgetting the reason why the came to her. It wasn't for battle or war, but for exploration and adventure. Serenity chuckled to herself, realizing she was getting carried away, and walked over to the next platform.
"This one.. I'll admit, is a modified version of the original- which was not created by me. It's called Ragnarok� and is operated more so on magic potency. It's a magically endowed vessel, one in which I cannot fully operate because of my inexperience with mana wielding. Though, you two are radiant with magic energies, perhaps you can unlock its special traits. Unfortunately these types of ships are not my forte, but I did fortify its outer shell with a stronger alloy for defense, and upgraded its weaponry to the best of my skill. Still, I'm unsure how to fully operate it. Maybe you'll have better luck. If you decide to choose this one, that is.." Serenity didn't bother to explain where she obtained the vessel, but simply proceeded over to the both of them, upholding her calm and relaxed demeanor.
"I have more to show if you like, but what do you think so far? Are you interested in anything in particular? There are more docked on the lower levels." Casually, she folded her arms comfortably over her bosom, tilting her hip to the side, patiently waiting for a decision to be made. "Do take your time and let me know if you would like a more concentrated description of the available vessels. I will not mind one bit."
Matters of life and death were generally not taken lightly, particularly by the vulnerable race that was human kind. Mortals presumably respected both, guarding their lives whilst revering the cold clutches of the grim reaper. Meanwhile, their natural enemies who partook of their life essence to survive had a bit more space for arrogance. Vampires held the advantage of not only a nearly immortal existence, but an enhanced physical prowess that no human entity was capable of. Without the aid of their imprisoned demons and their cursed weaponry, they would be no more than livestock, living food-banks hoarded like cattle for nature's apex predators.
Horn Skuld had wisely made mention of humanity's growing power before, correctly stating that humans were not always as able as they are in today's day and age. The might of human greed was severe, potentially devastating, and not even solely to the population of Earth's fanged dwellers. The persistent, gnawing, driving greed of mankind could bring about the world's destruction. It had already produced the apocalypse once.
Alas, even carrying this knowledge, the childish noblewoman serving under Nagoya's King saw humankind as little more than food incapable of staying still, running around aimlessly in battle carrying their silly, man-made toys. Life and death, turmoil and destruction; It all played out as a game in her mind. As for the role of humans in the ruthless diversion known as war? They were disposable players. The less capable they were of defending themselves against her, the less entertaining and worthwhile she deemed them to be. That isn't to say she wouldn't throw a full-blown hissy fit if things became too tough for her to manage, ironically enough. She did like to come out on top and keep the upper hand, lest the tables turn on her and leave her helpless. It suited Chess, to be a sore loser.
"Ready or not, here I come..!"�Palms cupped around her mouth to amplify her voice, the Seventeenth Progenitor called playfully for her piteous lamb. The ruined streets weaving betwixt Nagoya's crumbling structures made for a perfect location to play hide and seek. True to her sadistic need for amusement, Chess Belle made a fun pastime of her hunt, undoubtedly eager to entertain the delightful match of cat and mouse that had ensued.
With unsteady, shaken breaths, her ladyship's current toy fumbled through the empty streets that might ever serve as her grave. She was a plain little thing, presumably frail, donned in her tattered uniform of a easily recognizable black and green design. Brown tresses of a medium-length flew swiftly behind her, carried by the passing rush of air as she ran for her very life. The terrified doll's intelligence was occupied by numerous thoughts of regret, damning her for her decision to serve in the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. At her hip, her cursed gear did reside, taking the simplistic form of a common sword still bound to its sheath.
Her efforts to escape would bring her to charge directly into one of many abandoned buildings still present in the large capital. From the interior, it appeared as little more than an ancient apartment complex, littered with what had long since been left behind and forgotten by its former inhabitants. Her heart pounded against her chest with a significant level of ferocity, frightful irises darting in every direction in search of a secure, hidden refuge. She would find that potential location of safety in the confines of an old storage closet, filled solely with boxes and tools only collecting dust as they aged in solitude. She stilled herself within its interior, cramped and dirty as it may be. The immense amount of dust created by her entrance threatened to slip through her nostrils, daring her to sneeze and reveal her hiding place.
The following silence was so strikingly apparent, that one might have heard her heart pulsating in her chest. The prey had stiffened every muscle in her body, mouthing silent prayers of mercy and salvation. Her breath suddenly hitched in her throat, once the sound of heels clacking against the tiled floor disrupted the the barrier of soundlessness that initially gave her security.
"Come out, come out, wherever you aaaaaaree..! Hide and seek is fun and all, but someone has to win eventually."�It was astounding that the playful hunter hosted such innocent, cheerful vocals. Innocent sounds, coming from parted lips painted by blood; It was sickening. With each click of her heels, the figure tucked away in the darkness of the closet flinched. They drew closer, lightly and slowly, until a clear set of knocks were made from the opposite side of the door. The victimized soldier quickly covered her mouth, desperate to withhold a quick shriek that would have otherwise blown her cover.
"Knock knock!"�A gleeful chortle fell from her lips. With one hand placed to her hip, Chess would raise the palm of her opposing appendage to partially cup her ear. In doing so, she leaned a bit closely to the door, curiously awaiting an answer. She received no response.
"Don't be stubborn! You're supposed to say: 'Who's there?' Everyone knows that! Pretty please? I can't finish my joke unless you play along nicely."�This time, taking but a single step backwards from the closed door, both hands met her hips. Her visage displayed a childish pout as the progenitor impatiently waited once more for a response. Behind the door, the poor soldier trembled, losing her clear vision to the tears starting to pool in her eyes.
"Hrm..."�Chess began to grumble, losing her patience rather quickly. Her fingers curled into her palms, rolling her hands into fists. She raised one foot before stomping it harshly into the ground.
"You're boring me..!"�This game was no longer going her way, provoking Chess to unleash her temper and yell quite loudly. Raising her foot once more, she delivered a forceful kick to the surface of the door. Effortlessly, she managed to relieve the door of its attachment to its hinges, sending it crashing into the girl concealed behind it. Her throat would emit a final, awful scream. The sheer force of the door crashing into her must have left several of her bones broken.
"Oh, no..Did I overdo it? Aw..! I didn't want to kill it yet! Hey, human? Are you still alive?"�Moving for the doorway, slender arms reached inside to remove the wooden door from her current plaything. Even for a woman as small as herself, she had no trouble in lifting objects that far surpassed her own body weight, easily tossing the door aside once she had pulled it from the closet. As she had expected from the start, behind it was the human girl she had chased relentlessly over the course of the afternoon. A pitiful groan escaped her. The entirety of her body ached, and she couldn't move her limbs. Every inch of her being was wracked by pain. Nonetheless, she was alive. This left Chess beaming, eagerly kneeling to greet the broken soldier face to face.
"Oh, you�are�alive! That's great!"�Even whilst her vision was blurred, she could still hear that familiar voice, that wretched, joyous tone that shouldn't belong to anything worthy of being called a monster. Reaching forward, Chess carelessly grasped what she could take of the girl's hair, pulling her head forwards with not an ounce of concern as to how much pain she had induced upon her.
"You might have been able to live juuust a bit longer, if you had just played along with me. Just a little! You must be pretty weak, huh? That's okay. Even if you're boring, you'll taste just as good as any other human. It's just really disappointing that you weren't as much fun as I hoped you'd be. Hmph..."�Chess likely hadn't realized the callousness in her tone. It didn't matter, regardless. Livestock was livestock; whether they entertained her or not. Slowly, she pressed inwards, gracing the smooth skin of her victim's neck with the edge of her tongue. Without a moment to spare, she would drive her fangs into the girl's tender flesh, partaking of the substance that signified her humanity and her mortal existence. Unable to control her own thirst, Chess would only end up drinking her dry before leaving her body to rot there, unnoticed.
- -��- -
A thin line of blood trailed from the corner of her lips. Chess released a sigh in satisfaction, intending to finally make her way back to her cherished comrade as well as her awaiting lord. Before she took her leave from the ruined complex, something caught her eye. Toppled over in the corner of the room, rested a plump teddy bear, old, but barely worn. Curiosity persuaded her to edge closer, eventually positioning herself where she could lean over and take the stuffed animal into her grasp. It was dirty and obviously carried that same, dusty odor that encompassed the building itself. Nonetheless, it was cute...It had warm, chestnut eyes. With a good washing, it would be as good as new.
"At least one good thing came out of chasing you."�She projected a lighthearted giggle, clutching the teddy bear closely against her bosom. With her prize in tow, as well as a satiated appetite, she made haste in returning to Nagoya City Hall. Crowley would be waiting for her.
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