The King, Shadow and Abyss

[Oona Ondessa]

Morthika.

What was Morthika? It was a country, a nation, a realm… a graveyard.

The Tales of Morthika were history, legend, every youngster grew up hearing them, and fearing them. The Great Dread Queen Moridanu was a vessel created by the goddess Abyss, who travelled from a distant realm, she made the vessel in her likeness, the vessel Moridanu as filled with everything that made the goddess Abyss what she was, power, black magic, terror and strength and most important an unbridled evil. All through Moridanu's childhood she battled a creature of the light, a creature that was created with the same means Moridanu was, but completely reversed, it was on Moridanu's eighteenth birthday that she finally slaughtered the creature known as Crowe. Leaving the world open to her evil. The Queen made allies, Allies with the Other Demon Keeper, Oona Ondessa the wicked, Mair the demon of nightmares, Krisztinya Valkai the primogen horror and Carthax the tainted. With their help she conquered Morthika. They destroyed anything that was pure and good in the world; they wiped out the old religion all except the Morrighan Abby watched over by the great priestess Edana.

In the dead Queens later years she married a dark creature a powerful battle mage who had been scarred by the old Goddess in a fierce battle with The Priestess Edana, Talisen was made king of Morthika, as much as his title meant everyone knew who the real power went to, who really controlled Morthika.

It didn't take long for the world around Morthika to shift into darkness, it wasn't long before darkness remained and the sun simply failed to rise, instead the blood moon remained fastened in the sky forever.

Talisen sat in his throne at Halednek, Things were tense, the allies were beginning to stir once again, The Demon Keeper controlled the north East of Morthika, he watched over the dead lands, where his demons could roam killing and destroying each other. Mair controlled the West, She watched over Bendelsain where she could tamper with the broken and fearful villages. Carthax controlled the tainted swamplands towards the North West. Oona and Krisztinya controlled the forests of Morthika; their temple BriarWood was the second largest monuments in Morthika, after Halednek castle of course.

Talisen could sense things were amiss; his hair was tied into a high ponytail on his head. His large eyes were black and emotionless, he wasn't sure what was happening but he knew it was bad… it was… good, pure. Talisen stood up from his throne, Moridanu had gone missing days ago, she was back though, he could feel her presence, as dark and delicious as ever, yet… there was something there, something new? Talisen walked a short distance, until he arrived at a large cage, inside the cage within the shadows was a woman, her features remained hidden in the dark though. Talisen moved around the Cage, he looked out one of the portholes of the castle, he could see the blood moon in the air.

"Answer me great Goddess Abyss… what is this I feel?"

The goddess answered rarely but when she did it was miraculous. The ground shook as her voce boomed through the castle.

"Our world is in danger; newcomers from a parallel world have arrived… Mirror Twins… Some good, some evil, but Shadowless either way…"

The Voice stopped. Talisen turned his handsome head in question; he didn't understand any of it. He looked into the cage and addressed the girl inside

"Kattalia Avenrose, answer me promptly… what is happening with my world… Why do I feel like… it's not real?"

He said in sudden alarm, as if he realised for the first time what had always been.

Oona groaned loudly, she began to shift through the rock until she could feel cold air hit her face. She broke through. She didn't understand what was going on, the world ended… hadn't it? And yet there she was, covered in dirt and rock with her nemesis.

"What have we gotten ourselves into Krisztinya?"

She said huskily, She knew the Primogen was alive, what she was, and even who she was without the Abyss she didn't know.

"Is anybody going to lend us a hand?"

She asked the group of haphazard people around her. Where's Sehkem she asked suddenly, realising he was the only soul missing from the group of original misfits that were sent to the previous realm

"And can someone tell me, where in the nine hells are we!?"

She said in frustration as she pulled herself out of the rubble, limping slightly and carrying her left arm.

[Moridanu]

*The sky hung dark, heavy and grey above her, devoid of all life and light. A moon so red it appeared to be soaked in blood, illuminated the bleak surrounding landscape enough for her to be able to see the others that were standing here on this pile of stone and debris.

As she stood there, becoming slowly aware of her surroundings, Moridanu felt as though she were having an out of body experience. She was aware of ODK standing near her, yet he was strangely different from the ODK she knew. She was aware of a memory, a strange unsettling type of memory, of a different time and a different place, but confusion ebbed at the corner of her consciousness and she rubbed at her left temple absently as she struggled to maintain her composure. Soon her uncertainty was gone, sucked from her by the dry earth that cracked beneath her feet.

A strange crawling sensation began to itch beneath her skin, and she felt as though live maggots were nesting within her flesh. Darkness tinged the edges of her irises, slowly turning her pale emerald eyes a deep dark green. The green darkened until it was pure obsidian, and as her hand brushed back some crimson curls, they singed and instantly turned to ash beneath her fingers. Soon her formal crowning glory of brilliant amber curls was replaced with a black wispy pile of soot and ash atop her head. She arched her back and crinked her neck a few times, appearing to grow at least a foot taller before she looked off to the east. Talisen was there, somewhere.. he was waiting for her. No doubt he would be surprised to see she had returned… but… Confusion threatened to consume her once more when she wondered where she had returned from. And why she had left in the first place… Nothing made sense to her, but the more time that passed, the more she felt that she had come home. Shaking off the confusion with a suprising sense of ease, she sneered slightly as Talon asked Mair if she was okay and Oona asked where they were. ~Youre in Morthika you fool. I suggest ye don’t forget again in a hurry.~

With a quick glance of disdain at the motley crew assembled behind her, Moridanu hissed ~I would be advisin ye all not to stay here too long.. there’s only a few things that can survive around here and those things would just love t’feast on ye all..~

Without another backward glance, she turned on her heel, the air around her crackling with her dark energy as she moved off quickly towards the East. In truth she was not heading in any one direction, she was merely going home. To Talisen. *

[Mair Debryn]

-Whatever strength had gotten Mair to her feet on that rock pile fled the moment she realized she was, in fact, standing. Her knees shook, then buckled suddenly, dumping the exhausted and disturbed demoness on her rear. Barely aware of the others, she sat in stunned silence while her fingers gingerly explored her throat and neck where her own shadow had tried to strangle the life from her. Or, perhaps the shadow had not tried, but actually succeeded in killing her. A quick look around at the dead landscape hinted at the possibility that this was Hell and all of those Christians had been right after all. Given the lack of fire and brimstone as well as the fact that all but two of the original party were gathered around her, Mair still found it hard to believe that this was eternity. If they wanted to be right, they owed her fiery pits and the like. Sucking in air greedily, she let the realization of her survival wash over her until, at last, it sank in.

She was still soaking up the glorious sensations that accompanied life when a familiar voice broke through her concentration. Blinking back into reality, she studied Talon with a mix of disbelief and amusement. They'd done it. What they'd done, Mair couldn't say, but whatever it was led to Talon's freedom. As far as this particular demoness was concerned, that was good enough. Her glass once again half full, she climbed gracelessly down the stone mound toward the gargoyle...thing. Whether it was a temporary brain dump or a case of never having gotten it at all, Mair was having trouble putting a name to his face. Odd that she would have been through so much for a man whose name she didn't know, but there you go... Dusting the gravel from her hands, she paused somewhat awkwardly beside Talon's open cage and stared down at it before lifting her gaze to his.-

I've only just established that I'm still alive, which is a start. "Ok" could be rushing things a little. You? You know, I don't think I ever did get your name...

[Shizuku Tonderui]

No. No this couldn't be! He expected to wake up in his bed, and this just being a horrible nightmare! That wasn't the case however. Now green eyes opened, like radioactive waste glowing and pusling. He felt alive, powerful, amazed, and deadly. Slowly Carthax rose to his feet, his eyes wide as he studied the area around him. What he felt around him, it felt like...it felt like power, like that true power he had once known in his own realm.

"I am alive." Carthax spoke simply, his smile apparent as he looked around. He felt...odd though, there was something off. He felt like he was living inside of something, constricted for a moment. It made his skin crawl to think about it. Literally. His skin was morphing and crawling, as if something was alive under the flesh. His eyes blinked as he watched his own skin moving on it's own, before it stopped.

"How...odd." Taking a step forward he fell for a moment, his legs weak, as if he hadn't used them before. Now this wasn't a normal feeling was it? Looking around the place to the other people, he shrugged this off. Everyone else seemed to be alright...maybe it was just him. Slowly he took a step forward, his knees buckling for a moment. It felt as if he was moving something else but his leg would move.

Slowly he raised his left arm, which made him look at it quickly. No. Right arm. He wanted to raise his right arm. Why did his left arm raise? He turned his attention to the unoffending limb, which stayed at his side. Slowly the fingers twitched then began to rise. That was better. Now both arms were raised in front of him, his completely green eyes shifted between them. If one was able to look close, they would see a small black pupil in the middle dialating rapidly.

Why did this body not feel like his?! Why did it LOOK like his body, but felt like some one elses? Quickly he raised his hand, to feel his hair, but instead managed only to smack himself in the face. Well, that settled it. His mind was damaged perhaps. The hand crawled upwards to his hair, to tug on some of it. He pulled a few stray hairs to obseve them. Black. This was his body.

"Where....are we going?" Carthax wasn't very fond of being in a place where he wasn't familiar, or had no real information about. That woman....Miridonu...or whatever the hell she called herself seemed to know. Blast. It seemed he kept coming into realms that weren't his, or ones he hadn't visited before. His hand dropped to his lips. They felt sorta weird as well. This was just extraordinary. Perhaps Terrin had done something in all his infinite wisdom, or given him a new mind?

If only he could contact the God and ask him, but he was alone in this one...literally. Not even that winged fellow Sehkem was here. That was distressing by just a little bit. He thought he would at least have some sort of ally with him. Apparently not. His deep pools looked towards everyone, or at least, those he could see at the current time. He felt as if he should be...seeing more...that he should be getting a bigger picture than he was. A hand ran along his eyes, along the actual lenses, feeling and touching them. They seemed to be his, but the irridecent glow that they were radiating made him know they were truly his. After all...his eyes had been black. Always been black. What had Terrin changed him into?

"Do I look...normal?" He asked suddenly, hoping one of the people in his presence would answer him.

[Kat Avenrose]

((Hope this is alright CB! ))

She’d been in smaller places, more dangerous situations, but never had she felt so helpless as now… the ever present darkness that lingered like a wet mist to fur kept her glorious spirit at bay, kept the goddess from manifesting to save the lowly avatar. Someone somewhere had known exactly how to subdue her, to cage her without even the lycanthropic power her own “human” genes held. & now Kat sat, somewhere between slumber & wakefulness listening to the ramblings of this evil King. Still having no clue how or why she’d been brought here, perhaps a trophy of defeat for this malicious kingdom, that seemed to be outside of her own world. Dressed with these thoughts, she blinked the emerald pools of her eyes, turning cautiously in the direction of Talisen’s voice, her once shinning auburn curls were a dirty brown, with neglect, there was no telling how long she’d been in that cage.

“All that lives must fade & be reborn again.” Was all she said to answer his question, fearing not the consequences of his actions, whether she were to anger him or not. To her it mattered not, her punishment she would bare with her head held high, her spirit unbroken. Kat held on to what little hope she had left, clinging for dear life to it, as she did to the undying love she had for everything around her, to see another day, to bless & be bless by those that were her kin & her children… to know that even if the mortal coil died, the goddess of the changing breeds would live on forever… at least that was what she thought. Though more diabolical rituals could be at work. [/i][/b][/color][/size]

[Catrux]

For some reason, Sehkem was held back longer than his comrades were. He was kept in the void between realms, because of this prolonged exposure his body had taken quite a beating. When he was finally able to pass through, he blacked out. Sehkem's body came hurtling from the sky with only one thing to break his fall, the ground. Tumbling end over end through the air, he crash landed on his back. The immense shock brought him back to consiousness.

With a gasp, then a coughing fit, Sehkem opened his eyes and began to take in his new surroundings. He looked up at the sky from which he had appeared, and there was the damned moon. Sehkem could feel the incredible amount of evil all around him, it was overwhleming, causing him to begin radiating holy energy to balance it out. Almost as quickly as it had started, Sehkem surpressed it, at the time the aura was of no benefit to him only a possible hinderance.

Slowly he began to rise to his feet, and look himself over. Remarkably, there was no evidence of his fall, his trench coat wasn't even soiled. Once on his feet he glanced about him before spotting the rest of the group he had been with before. "Who's up for a second go?"

[Krisztinya Valkai]

It was red. Blood red. Slowly her eye lids fluttered open, allowing the very distinctive moon fill her vision as she lay amidst the rubble. Clearly she wasn't any more dead than she had been before this event, she wasn't in Torpor, and she was feeling the pangs of her craving to hunt. Yes, she decided, I'm still a part of the waking world it seems. She heard Oona's querry for help and she scoffed.

"If you need help maybe you would have been better off dead..."

She could feel the difference in this waking world. The darkness was so palpable that it nearly dripped onto her tongue with every syllable she spoke. The idea had merit, and she suddenly was full of exhaltation. But before she could go chastizing and berating, there was this problem of the rubble. She began moving one large stone, pushing it off of her to roll onto who or whatever was around. She didn't care. Then another. "Oh, this is just absurd." And for a moment she didn't move, still as a breath caught in an act of betrayal. Even with her kindred strength, it would have taken her some time to free herself physically, and she just didn't have the patience for it, quite frankly. And within the space of three blinks of the eye, Krisztinya's moon pale skin bore a reddish hue, her usually emerald eyes now completely red, irisless and pupilless. Before she spoke again, hearing Oona's question regarding their location, and during Morriandu's clipped and disrespectful response, the Primogen had gone missing. There was a disgusting squelching at first, but that too soon dissipated. It only became clear that the ages old kindred had summoned forth the discipline of her plasmic form to free herself. This might have been obvious to some, as the actual form of the primogen had ceased to exist, replaced by blood flowing of its own free will under, over and through the pile of rubble, recollecting a safe difference from where she had been. Her reformation began as though a mold of herself had been filled bit by bit with that dark red liquid, finally to take the form of the Tzimisce. Only after she had gathered to herself the last remaining drops of blood, did the hue once againi fade from her skin, leaving her just as she had been while in the rubble only now standing next to it. As Morriandu stalked away, her own eyes narrowed sharply. Feast on ~us~? Surely this little witch had banged her head. She was the thing that stalked the night, she was the thing children feared when they closed their eyes. She was the reason garlic was grown the land over--useless as it was. And a faint, dry smirk pulled at her shaped lips. There would be a day, she was certain, that they would meet, and walking away would not be an option.

The hollow, bloodless tone of her voice was just as clipped and condesending as ever, her hands moving to brush off her cloak. "We're back to this pit of despair, then. Sadly, it seems our little quest was pointless, hmm?" She looked around at the others, equally as confused and disoriented. She wanted to hunt. She didn't need to, but she ~wanted~ to. And there were a handful of pulsing jugulars wounded and confused right here. Her tongue flicked to the back of her incisors, already noticing that they were elongated with the mere thought of plunging into their throats, tearing open their veins and gorging herself on their vitae and the memories that accompanied them. She would crack their sternums and relieve them of their hearts, only to suck the warm blood from their flopping ventricles. It would have been easy. It would have been delicious. But she didn't move.

Something was missing. The filter that usually impressed the remaining flickers of humanity buried deep within her was... gone. The realization rippled through her, she felt ... free... The Abyss was there, yes, but it was as if her vessel had been emptied, as if the weight of the world had suddenly been lifted from her reponsibilty. She not only could feel those more horrific desires, she felt no compulsion to quell them! And it filled her with riotous laughter. And her hand went to her stomach as the vicious, maniacal throaty laugh brought flecks of dampness to her eyes, the sound dissapearing as it hit the air, leaving no lingering echo. She was free!

[Oona Ondessa]

Oona could only gaze as she pulled made her way off the rubble mount, her mind was moving rapidly, her eyes narrowed dangerously, first to Krisztinya then to Moridanu. Both of them were altered somehow… perhaps something had hitched a ride on the way through, or perhaps they were being themselves, for the first time ever.

"I know Morthika… and this is no Morthika"

She said dangerously while still following Moridanu with her eyes, her energy had shifted dramatically; perhaps it was just the stress, the magic being pumped through her system… It was too soon to be coming to conclusions but already Oona was sizing the woman up, she stood to her full height. Oona was taller; could she take the queen in an all out battle? Perhaps… most likely not, but the queen wouldn't be strong enough to simply walk away for it at the end. Moridanu was an avatar, the avatar of a goddess her abilities were endless, her power was fused to the heavens. But Oona was something the gods did not dare whisper; she was a freak of nature through and through. Oona shook the dark thoughts from her head, as usual she was allowing her pessimistic nature to get the better of her, the Queen was fine, just under a great deal of pressure. There was another they should all be truly worried about, Oona's gaze turned back to Krisztinya as she slowly and disgustingly began to reform into her former shape. The images were still to raw in Oona's mind, the pain still thudded, she could still see the flowing blood. Oona knew if she was ever going to fight beside her nemeses again that she needed time for the images to fade

"If this is Morthika then it is not ours…"

She said looking up at the sky and the glowing blood moon, the night was dark and eerie, things were really creeping towards them in the darkness.

"We were all deceived by the goddess… we may only have one chance, it's just possible the world will snap back to its former state if the goddess is destroyed…"

She said forbiddingly, to everyone in the group, Oona was a warrior a mage and a leader, if nobody else was up to the job she would gladly take the role; at least she knew nobody would fall if she was watching them.

""Do I look...normal?"

One of their comrades asked, Oona turned around to face him, her concentration shattered, one thin brow raised

"If unpleasant is normal then yes I suppose…"

She said curtly. Then a man fell from the sky. Oona placed one hand in the air and tried to slow the winged beasts speed, but it did little in the end, he pulled himself off the ground and joined the group, they stood around each other, strangers even enemies, but they were all there under a single purpose and for a single reason. Oona tried to clear her mind, find somewhere for them to go, to get shelter at least. She heard Krisztinya began to laugh manically, it disturbed Oona greatly, her stomach lurched and she forgot her surroundings, she moved towards Kris, ignoring the urge to throw up, she looked at the woman quizzically, she could feel it, the Abyss take touched her the mere touch was enough for it to be etched in her memory forever. The Abyss was no longer centralised in the very soul and being of Krisztinya, it was all around them, in the ground, in the trees, the sky and Moon. That’s what was surrounding them in the darkness, rearing up hoping for the chance to lash out, it wasn't dangerous beasts. It was the abyss, Ignoring the fact that Krisztinya could kill her at any second, Oona roughly grabbed hold of the Primogen 'she could, but wont' kept repeating in her head

"Control yourself Krisztinya, it's only a matter of time before the Abyss reclaims you or the other way around, we both know this! Ignore the hunt or it will consume us all, don’t you dare scoff!"

She said quickly, predicting the Primogen's reaction, if of course it wasn't to tear her throat out. For a split second Oona felt something, it was the only place the Abyss hadn't crawled into, Oona's gaze moved North West, she could make out dim candle light in the darkness. A red building perhaps…

"We're heading there"

Oona said simply pointing in that direction; she looked where Moridanu had vanished towards.

"Moridanu, come this way!"

She said cupping her hands around her mouth, but the speck that was her queen was already fading into the distance.

"I'm going after Moridanu, the rest of you head towards the building, I'll meet you there soon. Other Demon Keeper you come with me-"

She stopped herself instantly, gazing around she realised ODK was nowhere to be seen… he hadn't made it through, a chill spread down the arch of her slender back.

"Go…"

She said huskily, she knew none of them would appreciate being given orders like that, but it was no time for indignities, Oona made her way to the east following Moridanu, as she left she turned around, her eyes locked with Krisztinya's and she pleaded silently.

Talon smiled up at Mair as he kicked the cage he had been confined into, he was a man once again, handsome, sandy brown hair with a long blue leather jacket. An impressive longsword hung by his belt. His blue eyes shimmered brilliantly pupiless and as deep as the ocean.

"My Names Talon, your Mair, I knew you from the moment I met you, don’t ask me how…"

He said with a mischievous grin. Talon nodded at Oona's commands and put his hand out for Mair to take…

"Shall we?"

he said politely as Oona began to vanish into the darkness before them, he began to direct himself in the direction Oona had told him when he felt something snap at his foot aggressively, he looked down, a large blob of pure blackness had raised itself from the dead ground and was trying to coil itself around his ankle, Talon looked around and realised the ink blots were growing, getting more fierce and ferocious, it wouldn't be long before it consumed them all

"Run…"

He said quickly as he tightened his grip on Mair and hurried towards the red building in the distance.

Talisen gaze over Morthika never faltered, he could feel a shift somewhere, the Abyss around him hungrily coiled around his fingers and he played with the black ink like substance as it oozed through the walls, Talisen nodded at his prize

"Ah Kattisha, wiser words have never been said"

He said reaching into the cage and gently stroking her cheek.

"How you've love to get your claws into me… but it won't happen, you'll die in that cage, and the Abyss will feast on your bo-"

He stopped suddenly the world had indeed shifted.

"My wife ahs returned Kattisha…"

He said with a wicked grin, as Talisen felt the presence of Moridanu returned if not slightly altered, Kattisha would feel a presence enter the realm she didn't know and never had before, none the less the presence was hope… it was Oona Ondessa.

[Mair Debryn]

-Distracted with the man, then gargoyle, then man again, Mair barely heard or noticed as Moridanu made her exit. The two of them had met only recently and she had yet to form any great ties with the woman. Strangely, the same could be said for the man standing before her, yet she had concerned herself with his wellbeing a number of times. Now, as they stood among the chattering others, the demoness took note of little else beyond the budding conversation. She would have been content to forget them completely had it not been for the chilling sound that broke through her concentration.

Mair gave the Tzimisce a first long look as she burst into an unexpected fit of maniacal laughter that drowned out the confused and/or excited utterances of the rest of the group. Interested or not, it and its source captured her full attention. Her eyes narrowed and darkened instinctively as she studied the fanged lunatic, a defensive reaction that was quickly halted through force of mind. Logically, there was no sense whatsoever in dealing with the threat until it was upon her. As a demon of nightmares and other miscellaneous stuffs, Mair had no delusions as to who the stronger, deadlier demon of the two of them was. She could hold her own if necessary, but ‘necessary’ would have to mean a personal attack on herself or perhaps her new friend, Talon. The others needed to fend for themselves and god-goddess-random deity help them if they had to. Among demonesses she typically leaned closer to good than evil, but at the end of the day- this one in particular- neutral was a better descriptor of her feelings on any matter. Soreness and exhaustion had put a characteristically amiable Mair in a sour and un-giving sort of mood. The most she’d be giving from here on in was some wise advice to any blood-filled members of the group to get the hell away from that monster and find their own way out of this mess.

Suddenly Talon, who chose that moment to reply, brought Mair’s eyes back from tattooed woman as she shook the vampire frantically. She blinked and quickly refreshed her flimsy memory as to what they’d been talking about before she’d so rudely gotten caught up in Krisztinya’s madness. With a smile that suggested she had been with him all along, she filed his much awaited name away in her mind for safe keeping and thrust a hand out for a greeting shake. The oddness of the entire situation, from her entrance into this world, to their fight, to all that other crazy happenings, was not lost on her. The normality of a handshake helped make it all seem a little less surreal. When he took it and began leading her away, Mair was forced to admit she hadn’t been paying enough attention again.-

A pleasure to finally “meet” you, Talon. Did you really? Shall we what…?

-Just like everything else since she’d been teleported from her bed into this real-live nightmare, there was no warning before yet another attack began. Why so many different entities wanted them dead was unfathomable as far as Mair was concerned. Nonetheless when Talon suggested she run, she did. The inky blobs clawing at their feet were too creepy to warrant further inspection. Lacking any better ideas, she let him lead the way.-

[Shizuku Tonderui]

Oh thank Terrin! An angel from the sky had fallen! Oh...It was Sehkem. Wait. Sehkem?! Slowly he began to approach the fallen man, but stopped as his skin started to hiss and bubble as the holy energy hit him. His skin began to writhe and crawl literally as he shielded himself, until the pain was finally gone. Carthax looked down to his skin as he dropped his arms, looking between them. They had begin to heal, but he swore he saw a strange black skin beneath his own. Just what had Terrin done to him?!

There was no time to answer, as evil and darkness began to fill his mind. Something bad was happening. He turned his attention to some...strange woman. One of his comrades? He couldn't be sure, but she had exploded in blood. However, before he could react and go drink the blood...wait...drink the blood? He didn't drink blood did he? Did he even like blood? There was a few questions that had to be answered, as he felt this urge that his comrades might taste good.

Really good.

He eyed the woman for a moment, licking his lips once and then looking to Sekhem. Blasted angel. He didn't look that delicious.

Wait. Why the hell was he even thinking such things? He closed his eyes and shook his head. No...best to focus on something else. He looked to that angel man...Sehkem. He approached the fellow slowly, his head tilted slightly to the left, his eyes wide, the pupils no longer dots but slits. He just stood in front of the man and then slowly reached out to the poke the man. His finger sizzled as he came into contact with the man's cheek.

Pulling his finger away he just shook his head and watched the man still. Slowly Carthax opened his mouth and tried to say something, but didn't know how to speak for a moment.

"I feel empty inside." Carthax looked down to his stomach, placing his hands on his stomach and watched it for a moment.

"I think I'm dead. Will you take me to heaven?" He was almost childlike as he watched the man, unblinking. That where dead people went right? Would he go to heaven? Was he a good person for that matter? In his God's eyes and his own eyes he was a good person but...what if he didn't go to his God?

So many questions to ask.

"Tell me I'm alive."

[Kat Avenrose]

Again those pools of emerald splendor did turn a gaze toward the madness of the king that now held her captive. Kat held indifference at the for front of her demeanor, though underneath was much turmoil, mixed with an overwhelming curiosity that at times kept her from feeling too much fear. Because her captivity was somehow a mystery that needed to be unfolded, her bravery was held in check by that same insatiable curiosity. So it was this “mock” bravery that kept her from recoiling at Talisen’s gentle stroking of her cheek. She offered him a sincere smile to his next words, words that were meant to sting, meant to get a rise out of her. But Kat was resilient in many ways, “Kill them with kindness” she always remembered. She spoke in her soft voice, melodious & full of so much life & hope even though she felt to the contrary. She was about to say something sweet & annoying when he stopped & then announced the return of his wife…

“Who?” Was all that was uttered as she tilted her head in that most characteristic manner of hers, indicating her curiosity at the feeling of a presence that had entered the realm as he noted his wife entering the realm, or so she guessed, it filled her with relief, & seemed to carry hope on it’s arrival, like she once did. The darkness that seemed to envelop this world & hold it in it’s grasp was slowly choking all the goodness out of Kattisha, just like Talisen had said… it was working to his advantage more than Kat would admit even to herself. Even now she could feel the presence of the goddess slipping from her… though the power of the shape shifter still held swift deep within, she found that if she consentrated she could change again & so she did, curling into a ball of fiery red fur… her form looking like some form of large jungle cat. This was the ultimate snub… it basically told Talisen she’d rather not speak to him. The beast turned once in the cage & then slumped to a laying position her butt facing the king her long tail lolling lightly as she drifted off to a restless sleep [/size][/b][/color]
[/i]

[Leila Darkmoon]

*She felt completely detached from her body, as she strode across the land, her feet barely touching the barren earth beneath her. The sky was heavy and ripe with humidity around her, the atmosphere seemingly devoid of fresh air. As she moved through the kingdom, growing ever closer to her home, a strange sound could be heard by anyone misfortunate enough to be nearby. The sound of hundreds of beating wings filled the air around her as the sky became dark with an enormous murder of crows. At once, the mass of birds dove from the sky, to perch on the ground beside her. As hundreds of crows sat on either side of her in unison forming a strange winding line, a clear pathway was outlined for her- a direct route to the palace, and a sly grin played on her dark lips as she swept past the cold unblinking eyes of the crows. They sat silently as she passed, watching and knowing all with those dark eyes that now mirrored Moridanu’s so perfectly.

The urge to shift into the form of her avian friends was neither apparent or necessary as she moved quickly through out the township, untouchable and invisible to all that did not know her, Moridanu was soon in the palace. The feelings of familiarity washed over her, taking the sting off the strange sense of confusion she had felt since arriving in this place. Her steps faltered slightly as she had a slight niggling sensation in the back of her head… a different place.. a different time.. memories were so close, literally within her reach, but then they were gone once more. Shaking her dark head angrily, she snorted and spat a wad of phlegm on the floor as she stalked down the hallway towards Talisen, her boots clicking on the tiled floor.

The doors practically flew off their hinges as she approached, seemingly pushed by unseen hands as she made her entrance into the room in typical fashion. That sly grin deeped on her dark lips as her eyes fell upon Talisen.

~You…~ she breathed as she slowly slid towards him. ~ You look so delicious… I could just eat.. you….. up.. ~ Her fingers found his flesh and her lips found his for a harsh kiss before her eyes trailed over the caged being that seemed to be the previous focus of Talisens attention.

~Whats this then? Did you get me a welcome home present?~ *