Inner Turmoil

[taintedelf]

A forearm brushed against a sweat laden brow. His chest rose and fell with every heavy breath he took. Dark hair was a mess, unkempt and bloodied. A cut was open under his right eye, the blood trickling down his cheek. Emerald hues stared with fierce intensity, the muscles in the wood elf's body taut in anticipation. Those twin swords were unsheathed, splattered in the blood of an eternal battle.

Fire burnt everything in its path, the area nothing more than a charred wasteland. Dark pools of obsidian stained by glowing red stared back at the wood elf. Sinewy muscles were hidden beneath brown fur. The flames that formed the mane and tail of the demon were in a violent uproar, blood caked in his fur, dripping to the ground beneath them.

"Why do you bother attempting to refuse my will..." The Ifrit's muzzle opened to speak, its voice deep and harsh. Sharp fangs stained with elven blood gnashed at him, his tongue hanging out as he snarled. "After all, it's only a matter of time before I get control. You'll never be able to resist me...so why bother slowing down the process?" A sickening laugh followed.

The elf stood up, lowering his blades. He wore a simply loincloth, revealing the runic tattoo that stretched up the entire length of the left side of his body. His brow furrowed as he glared at the demon in what appeared to be pure hatred.

"Is that what you'd like? For me to just give up, and lose myself completely to you? Hah! That will NEVER happen!!!" He screamed out of anger, his swords raising as he continued the battle.

Blades met horns and claws, sparks spraying whenever steel connected with bone. Fires lashed out like whips of searing hot lava, burning the elf badly but he continued to fight. Swords were plunged into the body of the beast, wherever an opening was given. The blood between them continued to be spilled.[/i]

Sheets were thrown aside as the elf woke up violently. He moved to sit on the side of his bed, huddled over. He gagged momentarily, arms wrapped around his mid-section before he threw up. Blood escaped from his mouth onto the floor, eyes looking down at the pool near his feet. Cold sweat clung to his form, just sitting there with one arm on his head for a while. Eventually, he moved to clean up his mess before laying in bed and staring at the ceiling.

After a while, he stood up from his bed. He grabbed his loincloth and put it on before leaving his room to wander the castle at the early morning hour. It was still dark out, and would be for a while. He walked to the bath area, getting some water to rinse out his mouth...as well as splash on his face. A tower was draped around his shoulders as he wandered back out into the halls.[/color]

[Sanguine Claws]

The dusk rolled up over te emerald hills, tall trees creating a canopy above spread along like a blanket of dark green as the see through mist came like the breathe of gaia through the openings of the world.

From the tent she stepped, golden whisps of the mane fell over the saccred face while the crown sat atop her head of a celtic princess. The armor on her body covered the neck, left shoulder and the breastplate over the chest was of a wolf howling against the sign of the Ahroun. Armor skirt and trousers, no shoes as she refused to wear anything on her feet and right hand lowered to the twin swords along her hip. One red and one blue, sitting there and as kohl lashes lifted to let the topaz gaze watch the waking world of Ireland; her homeland.

The Calm Before the Storm

She stood there with the banners of each camp flying in the breeze of various tribes that came to her call after various arragements and treaties. Never in the age of Gaia had so many of her children been in one place under one cause since before the Weaver and the Wyrm sent them on their eternal battle. Not all tribes were here, a few of Children of Gaia, some Silent Striders, Silver Fangs, and Red Furries even had agreed though they stayed away from the human camps.

A lean man came up to her dressed in gaelic garb complete with helmet as he shifted the weight of the glaive within his grasp before giving her a salute then bowing.

"They come, from the Northwest and Southeast, our people stand ready to fight, Sanguine Claws."

She nodded to him.

"Gather the flanks, the calavry and the infantry. If these demons want a fight then by the gods we will drench the emerald isle in their blood and let them knaw that this is nat theirs."

She stomped her foot then raised her chin a bit as she turned and made her way towards her steed.

Another one came to her side, he took 15ft tall shoving anyone in his way out of it with pale green skin and only one eye with a patch over the missing one. She continued to walk as the Ogre caught up with her, a broad wide axe he carried across his shoulders with the ease of a candle stick.

"Sa... this the final day of all the fightin'?"

"Aye, te day it ends and we finish this fued. Oi'm tired of this three year war of fearin' each day will be me last and thirsting to see the blood splatter me body as Oi slay them over and over again."

She approached the pen where her horse Silver Thunder was grazing his black body sleek and muscular for a shire and silver mane and tail glistening in the dim light. He lifted his head up, snorting as the red eyes connected to her own, tossing his head up with a whinny as he trotted over showing he was ready.

"What if it doesn't end today? What if today it only ends fer you?"

She took up the saddle slapping it on the broad back, a glance up at her fighting companion.

"Then Oi finally rest and have lived a life Oi da nat regret."

She saddled him, time passed fast as she rode before her army that was there not just for her but to keep their land free of a common evil. She rode her stallion around for a bit, jerking the reins a bit in anticipation of the coming battle and finally turned to look on at the army of demons ready to make the final battle. She unsheathed Dark Sentinel from its place holding it pointing at the sky as she let out a roar, it was echo'd by howls, roars and screams. The pounding of hooves hitting the ground, feet slappin the blades of grass and armor clattering with hearts beating for the drums of war.

---------------

Riley sat up in a start, her heart pounding like the moment it had been as she rode charging into battle and for tonight she was sleeping alone. Lina had her men to take care of, Syn and Brandon as Riley never demanded her attention or affection she knew just where she stood and no doubt at all in that. She got up from the bed, letting the silken lavender gown spill over her body, golden mane untamed to caress the shoulders as she moved out onto the balcony inhaling the air as she tilted her head back.

She felt the thrive, the drive for more but she remembered she might not live that next morning and hands lifted running the fingers over her face. She lowered a hand down to her chest where she had made the mark as Lupa and Ulfric do to bind each other to one another. It didn't have the same effect like Caelum and Riley, but it was a symbolic thing not one made for power.

She pushed from the balcony, stepping out of her room to wander the halls as her mind roamed about the times Lina and already had to faced battles she wanted to be there fighting right beside her and not let her love feel so afraid of losing her. She wanted to wash away all of Lina's fears away.

She didn't realize where she was going and walked right into Amras bumping into him she blinked jerking her head up watching him.

"Ah... sorry, it seems we keep runnin' in te each otha."

[taintedelf]

He was bumped into, eyes moving to look at Riley. He rubbed the back of his neck, lips curling into a small smile.

"It's alright," he shrugged. "I probably should have been watching where I was going anyway..."

He paused for a moment, laughing a bit.

"Besides, I'd rather you than some other people I've met here..."

He took a step back from Riley, eyes moving to the rest of the empty halls. He thought of his dream, no...it wasn't his dream. That conflict was very real, in fact it lived inside the wood elf. Eyes moved back to Riley.

"So, something kept you up to?"

A dark brow rose as he figured he might as well make conversation, rather than the two of them standing there silently.

[Sanguine Claws]

Hair fell where it wanted to covering half her face in the process, the war still played in her eyes and in a way it was conflict. If she decided to give up her mortality to live it out as always beside Lina or feel death always at her heels? She lifted a hand up to push idle strands aside but they just fell back where they wanted to.

"The past. The three year war Oi left te fight still plays in my head the good and bad... but... "

She went silent, resting hands on her hips and look around the empty halls as well. Sighed.

"It is neva done, be it that me body became the gate until Oi die oir in me head the war continues to play itself neva lettin' me ferget."

[taintedelf]

Amras listened to her, shifting to let bare shoulders rest against the wall. Thumbs tucked into the top of his loincloth, fingers idly patting an invisible beat. He shifted his head a bit, letting those ebony locks move away from emerald hues so he could better see her.

"As hard as some memories are to keep..." He took a pause. Amras was never good at comforting people, but he always did his best to try. "I think that even those memories that hurt...shouldn't be forgotten. After all, they make up the person who we have become, and if we forget them...then we forget a part of what shaped ourselves."

He hoped that made more sense to her than it sounded to him, thinking it may have lost something in translation from thought to words. He watched Riley.

"There are things that I must also deal with...in a similar manner to what you mentioned. I have been in a war almost my entire life...though its more one of the soul I suppose...Two halves fighting for complete control of who I am."

He paused for a moment, a smile on his lips.

"Though no matter how much it hurts, or how many times I vomit blood...Both of those things inside of me are who I am, and what I've allowed myself to do in the past...I cannot forget, because there were certain mistakes I made that I want to never make again."

He watched her, before placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I know we don't know each other all that well, but from what I've seen and heard...you are a strong, beautiful wolf with a caring heart, strong-willed spirit, and a passion for protecting what you hold dear to you. I believe that you are this way because of things that happened in the past, so now matter how hurtful they are...you should never forget what helped you become the person you are..."

He offered her a smile, hoping he had helped somewhat. Besides, Amras rather enjoyed talking...even if it was mostly on his behalf...because he didn't want to be left alone to his thoughts just then.

[Sanguine Claws]

She allowed him to speak until he was done.

"Oi da nat try fergetting, Amras, Oi enjoy it... me turmoil tis ... Oi want te be there always fer Lina, but Oi am mortal and there is much Oi cannot protect her ferm; like fear of losing me defendin' her life. Oi have nah fear of death, it thrills me, makes me rememba that Oi am alive with every pulse of my heart, the flow of me blood and the screams of war Oi utta.. hell even if Oi say a string of curse words."

She sighed, closing her eyes a moment as she remembered the battle scene again.

Thighs clenched tightly behind the knees of the beast, the hearts pounding in her ears fast and yet steady to her head, hooves galloping on the earth like drums of a war song and the screams, the roars that was uttered until finally the slow motion of it all finished to slam back into the speed.

Front line she rode, not the type to wait in the back as Silver Thunder kicked his hooves leaping over the spikes there ready to destroy him as if he were a normal steed and down he came landing on poor demons to trample their life. Unsheathing first the twin blades of fire and ice, their elements dancing along the steel as she fought astride giving chops and slashes.

Demons were everywhere, their ugly faces snapping their jaws or claws or weapons at her. She was already in moments it seemed covered in blood, bruises, blows been delivered as her people fought around her following her strength. They pushed some of the demons back to leave corpses on the ground.

How funny when the only calm moment is either fresh birth or fresh death.

"Me question tis.... how da Oi become immortal?"

[taintedelf]

He listened to her in return as she did for him. As she fell silent, he didn't say anything. He could tell she was remembering something, so he didn't dare interrupt. When she opened up her eyes and asked him that question, he remained silent still for a few moments longer.

"Even if I knew Riley, I am not sure I would tell you...or anyone for that matter."

He pushed off the wall, looking away from her as emerald hues gazed down the dark hallway. He rubbed the back of his neck, before turning to face her.

"I have been alive for over three hundred years. I have seen many friends come and go in this life. Elves are a mortal race who's lifespan is one of the longest. But even if my heart were to be claimed by someone immortal, I am not sure I would want to stay alive forever. The chance to see my family, and friends again...or to watch everyone else I meet other than my lover become taken by death's hold..."

He was very solemn in the way he spoke. Why was it that nowadays the women of Goldenmyst always seemed to evoke a more serious side of him? Had death really changed him that much? He gave a long sigh.

"I suppose you could try asking one of the mages or healers? Perhaps they know the secret to obtaining immortality."

Amras knew of a way, but he dare not offer it to Riley. He had asked around, and found out about her past...and her hatred for demons. How could someone with so much hate toward them, ever risk their body to share the same soul. Amras was immortal...so to speak. His spirit could separate from his body. But thanks to the arcane workings of Travus Flynn, neither the wood elf or the Ifrit ever moved on. They simply waited for their maker to bring them back together, and be "reborn" into the world so to speak.

"If you want my opinion, I think rather than become immortal...You should ask Gelina to give up her immortality for you? That to me...would be a sign of true love."

[Sanguine Claws]

Topaz gaze lingered on him for a moment, reading the contorts of his face to the flicker of emotions in his eyes while he spoke and finally finished. Letting his words roll around in her head, had she known he actually asked around about her since she didn't keep her past a secret.

"Yes, but death is... easy. Living ones life forever is scary and uncertain. Oi have made it clear, Oi will nat be lik the others and ask of her thin's but Oi will ask her what she wants of me."

Golden whisp of silken hair fell over the eyes, right hand lifted to swat it aside while a breath taken then exhaled with a slight bounce to the bossom.

"Oi da nat want her te worry about me, and Oi am confident we will always be tegetha. Oi will live long because of me seelie sidhe blood since Oi am half fae and half fianna ahroun. It made me a longer life span but nat eternal."

She closed her eyes, moved to lean against a wall while arms came up hugging around her arms as fingers ran up and down them.

[taintedelf]

"So then do something to make her see that she doesn't need to worry. Show her your strength in your ability to survive."

Amras listened to her explain about her longer life span. But he knew how lovers could get. He knew how he had worried about the past loves in his life. He fell silent, standing there as she leaned against the wall. He didn't respond with anything else. He stayed like that for a while, silent as he stared down the hallway toward the candles that lined the darkness.

"I think I should be getting back to sleep."

He would then begin to head off toward the way which he came from.

[Sanguine Claws]

Those topaz eyes opened to watch Amras, thing was Lina would just breathe easier if Riley did that and perhaps not worry so much she'd leave the only way they could rip her away.

"As ye wish, Amras. Oi hope sleep finds ye but nat the nightmares."

She stepped back and away to walk down the hall.