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Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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Izzy’s head cocked slightly to the side at Riley’s playful scolding. She shifted her weight uneasily at the way he kept staring at her. As friendly and kind as he seemed, the way he looked at her made her want to squirm. Though it was no surprise she knew nothing about this new world she had been thrust into, everyone else, it would seem, knew just about everything. Cerasus had essentially thrown her to the wolves to figure everything out for herself. Her hands balled into fists at the thought. She had a bone, or twenty, to pick with him. And now, yet another mystery stood before her, a mystery she had yet to decide whether it was as harmless to her as it appeared, or a well-hidden threat.
She looked at Riley, her head jerking back slightly and brows furrowed at his statement of saving herself. “You’re kidding, right? Those three would have killed me, or worse, if you hadn’t stepped in.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “So yeah, a thanks is in order. So thank you, Riley.”
She gave a humorless laugh when he continued. “That’s putting it lightly,” she muttered. She took a half step back when he leaned forward and whispered, his words easily reaching his ears despite their softness. “A barrier?”
She looked at Riley, her head jerking back slightly and brows furrowed at his statement of saving herself. “You’re kidding, right? Those three would have killed me, or worse, if you hadn’t stepped in.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “So yeah, a thanks is in order. So thank you, Riley.”
She gave a humorless laugh when he continued. “That’s putting it lightly,” she muttered. She took a half step back when he leaned forward and whispered, his words easily reaching his ears despite their softness. “A barrier?”
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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15 hrs ago
Izzy could think of quite a few reasons to be guarded, but she voiced none of them to Riley.
She snorted at the phrase she had heard him ask the hunters. "Not in the least."
“Oh,” was all she said when he explained what he had meant by ‘barrier.’ Thankfully for her, then, they had not used one.
Go home? she thought, looking at him with new interest as she tried to recall whether or not she had seen him around town before. She was pretty sure she would have easily remembered someone who dressed like him. That kind of attire was not one quickly forgotten. She then shifted her gaze around them at the thought that they were not as alone as it looked. Just as she had assumed Cutter had been the only one waiting for her. Without fully meaning to, she took a step closer to Riley. “You live around here?"
She snorted at the phrase she had heard him ask the hunters. "Not in the least."
“Oh,” was all she said when he explained what he had meant by ‘barrier.’ Thankfully for her, then, they had not used one.
Go home? she thought, looking at him with new interest as she tried to recall whether or not she had seen him around town before. She was pretty sure she would have easily remembered someone who dressed like him. That kind of attire was not one quickly forgotten. She then shifted her gaze around them at the thought that they were not as alone as it looked. Just as she had assumed Cutter had been the only one waiting for her. Without fully meaning to, she took a step closer to Riley. “You live around here?"
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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15 hrs ago
Izzy blinked at Riley. She opened her mouth to respond, but then closed it again. She thought about playing dumb, since he could have been guessing, but even the hunters had not figured out where Cerasus had been hiding.
Who is this guy? She shifted her weight.
“What school?” she asked softly, cautiously.
Who is this guy? She shifted her weight.
“What school?” she asked softly, cautiously.
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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Izzy turned to look the way he pointed, then shifted quickly back to him. “Okay?” Her voice rose slightly at the end and turned the word into an unintentional question. “But how do you even know that?” She turned slightly to head in the direction he had correctly gestured to. Not particularly caring how rude it sounded or if it was bad etiquette to ask, she blurted out another question that had been mulling around in her head since he had first come to her rescue. "What are you?"
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Izzy had not thought about how Cerasus had gotten her to the school until that moment. “How would I know that, then?” she grumbled, growing annoyed at Riley’s persistent know-it-all tone.
She gave an irritated sigh at his long-winded answer for what he was. “In short, you’re a mystery. And someone I probably wouldn’t want to run into in a dark alley. Or choir.”
Izzy glanced to the shadows again, then to the still dark sky. She had not expected to return to the school without what she had come for. The sooner she could get out of this whole mess, the better. She looked at Riley in contemplation. He had already helped her out, twice, as it so seemed. Had he bore any ill will, he could have done both her and Cerasus in when he first saw them.
“I don’t suppose you would be willing to help me one more time?” She watched his face closely as she spoke. “Those hunters, they stole something. Something important. I need to get it back.”
She gave an irritated sigh at his long-winded answer for what he was. “In short, you’re a mystery. And someone I probably wouldn’t want to run into in a dark alley. Or choir.”
Izzy glanced to the shadows again, then to the still dark sky. She had not expected to return to the school without what she had come for. The sooner she could get out of this whole mess, the better. She looked at Riley in contemplation. He had already helped her out, twice, as it so seemed. Had he bore any ill will, he could have done both her and Cerasus in when he first saw them.
“I don’t suppose you would be willing to help me one more time?” She watched his face closely as she spoke. “Those hunters, they stole something. Something important. I need to get it back.”
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“Well, aren’t you the most forthright person I’ve ever met.” Izzy muttered under her breath. When he finished, she opened her mouth to ask, “Who?” doubting she would want to meet anyone with that title, when he answered her unspoken question. Her gaze darkened.
Figures. She ran a hand through the lose portion of her hair, her fingers catching on a knot. She hesitated for a moment when Riley headed toward Damocles’--and her--hideout, but then hurried after him, not wanting to be left alone with Cutter, Episode, and especially Thurdge lurking about.
With Riley’s pace infuriatingly slow, the hour walk to the abandoned school felt more like an eternity, especially with Riley’s small talk and the rather pointless ramblings he went on. Izzy had said little the entire trip, the slow pace giving her plenty of time to stew over the danger Cerasus had put her in, all but blindfolded.
She gave a relieved sigh when, at long last, the decaying school came into sight. Her hair hung freely, her hair tie around her wrist from her attempts at untangling with her fingers. A look of determination settled across her features as they went down the road.
With her shoulders back, she broke the pace she had considered overall pleasant just a few days ago, rushed ahead of Riley, and pushed one of the doors completely open a little harder than she had intended to, making it slam into the wall and the hinges squeal in protest.
“Cerasus!” she called, her voice echoing furiously off the decrepit walls. She was sure he would hear her no matter where he was in the school.
Figures. She ran a hand through the lose portion of her hair, her fingers catching on a knot. She hesitated for a moment when Riley headed toward Damocles’--and her--hideout, but then hurried after him, not wanting to be left alone with Cutter, Episode, and especially Thurdge lurking about.
* * *
With Riley’s pace infuriatingly slow, the hour walk to the abandoned school felt more like an eternity, especially with Riley’s small talk and the rather pointless ramblings he went on. Izzy had said little the entire trip, the slow pace giving her plenty of time to stew over the danger Cerasus had put her in, all but blindfolded.
She gave a relieved sigh when, at long last, the decaying school came into sight. Her hair hung freely, her hair tie around her wrist from her attempts at untangling with her fingers. A look of determination settled across her features as they went down the road.
With her shoulders back, she broke the pace she had considered overall pleasant just a few days ago, rushed ahead of Riley, and pushed one of the doors completely open a little harder than she had intended to, making it slam into the wall and the hinges squeal in protest.
“Cerasus!” she called, her voice echoing furiously off the decrepit walls. She was sure he would hear her no matter where he was in the school.
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The movement of Cerasus looking around the corner attracted Izzy’s attention, the action making him look that much more like the child whose form he had been exacted to take. Yet, how fitting that form was for his surroundings was uncanny, the ethereal aura about him making him seem more like a spirit trapped within the walls of the school he had once attended rather than a vampire.
When he glanced behind her and inquired about the man accompanying her, he showed no recognition. “You mean you don’t recognize him?” she asked sharply, turning to face Riley. But then, Cerasus seemed to finally remember him with a little push.
When he looked back to Izzy, she turned to return his stare, and the other matters at hand once more took precedence.
“And?” Izzy echoed bitterly, the hope--or what closely resembled it--in his eyes telling her he was asking about the mission he had sent her on. “And? Does it look like I’m carrying a bunch of severed limbs to you?” She moved her hands slightly to the side, gesturing to herself. “And if it wasn’t for him,” she waved a hand at Riley, “I’d be nothing but bloody smear in the road right now! You sent me out there with nothing! So, what,” she took a small step toward him, glaring savagely down at him, “it didn’t even occur to you to tell me that the hunters aren’t human? Slip your mind, did it, that one of them is the freaking Hulk’s brother?” she finished through her teeth.
When he glanced behind her and inquired about the man accompanying her, he showed no recognition. “You mean you don’t recognize him?” she asked sharply, turning to face Riley. But then, Cerasus seemed to finally remember him with a little push.
When he looked back to Izzy, she turned to return his stare, and the other matters at hand once more took precedence.
“And?” Izzy echoed bitterly, the hope--or what closely resembled it--in his eyes telling her he was asking about the mission he had sent her on. “And? Does it look like I’m carrying a bunch of severed limbs to you?” She moved her hands slightly to the side, gesturing to herself. “And if it wasn’t for him,” she waved a hand at Riley, “I’d be nothing but bloody smear in the road right now! You sent me out there with nothing! So, what,” she took a small step toward him, glaring savagely down at him, “it didn’t even occur to you to tell me that the hunters aren’t human? Slip your mind, did it, that one of them is the freaking Hulk’s brother?” she finished through her teeth.
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Though Izzy had had no idea how she had expected Cerasus to react to her outburst, she had certainly not prepared for such an amicable response. She opened her mouth to say something, but could think of nothing to rebuttal with. Her thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like someone rearranging the school on the level above them. She glanced around, and realized that Riley was no longer on the main floor.
“What in the world?” she mused quietly.
She shared Cerasus’ glance to her, then ascended the stairs just a step behind him. She had pegged Riley as an odd one, to say the least, but rearranging the school furniture--as it sounded like he was doing as something let out a nerve-racking squeal as whatever-it-was scraped across the floor, the sound making an uncomfortable shudder run down Izzy’s spine--took it to a new level.
“What in the world?” she mused quietly.
She shared Cerasus’ glance to her, then ascended the stairs just a step behind him. She had pegged Riley as an odd one, to say the least, but rearranging the school furniture--as it sounded like he was doing as something let out a nerve-racking squeal as whatever-it-was scraped across the floor, the sound making an uncomfortable shudder run down Izzy’s spine--took it to a new level.
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Izzy watched Riley curiously as he formed his make-shift bed. When he finally noticed them, Izzy raised her eyebrows questioningly at him. “Plan on sleeping over or something?”
Izzy reluctantly took her attention from Riley’s project when Cerasus spoke, then inhaled at the thought of finding the three again. Before she could reply, Riley spoke up.
She snorted. “Understatement of the century.” She ran a hand through her hair, took a couple deep breaths to make sure she could recount the night’s happenings calmly, or at least close to it, then looked to Cerasus. She quickly told him about the hunters, from the ambush to Riley stepping in, leaving no small detail out. “Something tells me that getting them apart is going to be next to impossible. At least without a better plan, but, you know, since I know so much about hunters and their weaknesses...” At this, she could not help but cast a glare at Cerasus. She took another slow breath. "I thought Hulk Jr. would at least be slow, but..." She shuddered at the memory of his impossible speed.
Izzy reluctantly took her attention from Riley’s project when Cerasus spoke, then inhaled at the thought of finding the three again. Before she could reply, Riley spoke up.
She snorted. “Understatement of the century.” She ran a hand through her hair, took a couple deep breaths to make sure she could recount the night’s happenings calmly, or at least close to it, then looked to Cerasus. She quickly told him about the hunters, from the ambush to Riley stepping in, leaving no small detail out. “Something tells me that getting them apart is going to be next to impossible. At least without a better plan, but, you know, since I know so much about hunters and their weaknesses...” At this, she could not help but cast a glare at Cerasus. She took another slow breath. "I thought Hulk Jr. would at least be slow, but..." She shuddered at the memory of his impossible speed.
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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15 hrs ago
The way Cerasus reacted to her tale made it clear that something was wrong, something more than what Izzy could guess. Her gaze followed him as he paced.
“And being that determined isn’t normal?" she began once he finished speaking. "I’d think that there being a bounty would be enough of an incentive in and of itself, if the reward was large enough and they knew they couldn’t take you on individually. But at least, if they want you that bad, we know they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.” Izzy looked to the stained, moldy wall at the other side of the room for a moment. “Cerasus,” she looked to him, “why would they keep your limbs, not destroy them, if they hold a lot of your power?” And that’s officially the strangest question I’ve ever asked. She shifted slightly in her seat at the bizarreness of it. “Just as bait to draw you out again, or can they use it for themselves or something?" Then, her brows furrowed as another thought occurred to her. "And why didn't they just finish you off in the first place?"
“And being that determined isn’t normal?" she began once he finished speaking. "I’d think that there being a bounty would be enough of an incentive in and of itself, if the reward was large enough and they knew they couldn’t take you on individually. But at least, if they want you that bad, we know they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.” Izzy looked to the stained, moldy wall at the other side of the room for a moment. “Cerasus,” she looked to him, “why would they keep your limbs, not destroy them, if they hold a lot of your power?” And that’s officially the strangest question I’ve ever asked. She shifted slightly in her seat at the bizarreness of it. “Just as bait to draw you out again, or can they use it for themselves or something?" Then, her brows furrowed as another thought occurred to her. "And why didn't they just finish you off in the first place?"
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