Lord Zee

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

@Stabby I look forward to finally seeing it!

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

@ZAVAZggg

Oh don't get me wrong, I know you got rid of it. This is most interesting, and I can't wait for it.

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

@ZAVAZggg

I'm highly curious by one single sentence in your app, which has now just vanished. But I will say no more upon this matter, for I think I know what's coming.

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

Aren't most gods sociopaths though, or at least show some signs of those personality traits? I'd say Anu is a sociopath, but then again, can you even describe a being as a God, as a sociopath? That's a human definition, trying to describe something more. Though we writers are human, so maybe that's how we justify such things? Does that make sense? Most of the gods in this setting are greedy and selfish honestly.

Law promotes order, does it not? Certain gods don't like the notion of order. And that is why I believe Gammation thinks everyone is against him. It's not a personal thing whatsoever, it's just how certain gods perceive things.

I could see how some laws could promote chaos however, but in the end all Law has punishments for being broken. Where Gammation might not be against chaos per say, other's might not see it that way.

In the end, let's be civil folks and not attack each other alright?

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

---

Life

---

The world was darker when Tiok awoke. His head pounded, and every breath was ragged and painful. It took him all his strength to simply move his head up so that he might glance at what was around him, and his heart sank.

This was not a sandy beach, but a forest floor where he lay. The young man then saw a dim fire burning, not three bodies length away. With the flickering flame, and with his foggy vision, he could make out two forms who looked like they were sleeping. Both too large for one to be Dratiri, and his heart began to pound as he struggled to see anything else.

Suddenly he felt a large hand grab the base of his neck, and painfully begin to lift him up. Tiok whimpered softly as another arm wrapped around his chest. He was then dragged, and then at last placed upright at the base of a tree. When his vision stopped blurring, he saw the bald man grinning in front of him.

"I was just about to wake you up, boy. Don't you know it's rude to black out when keeping company? A pity your pain tolerance is so low, takes the fun right out of torture it does. Oh well, Ol'Grambo will keep you awake now." He then pulled out a large stone knife, knapped from a black rock and sharpened to an edge. Tiok's eyes went wide as tears began to flow down his cheeks. Grambo sighed, "There now, boy. Ol'Grambo will make everything alright. Just you relax now."

As Grambo began to cut his right arm, Tiok anticipated the feeling and his throat constricted. He tried to scream but couldn't as the pain flared up. He tried to move his arm, but he was far too weak and Grambo had it pinned down. As Grambo smiled sadistically, Tiok began to panic. He tried desperately to move his arm, but he couldn't, and Grambo was beginning to take notice of Tiok's silence.

The bald man stopped cutting, fresh blood gleamed off the blade in the early moonlight. "What's a matter boy? Devil got your tongue? Why don't you speak a little!" Grambo then forced Tiok's mouth open, "I want to hear you screams boy! Now scream! Scream!" The crazed look in his eyes became unhinged as Grambo was denied his enjoyment. Tiok finally screamed, a harrowing wail of pain and frustration.

"There we are! Good! Very good." The sudden change in his voice almost went unnoticed by Tiok, but now the bald man's eyes glowed a fiery crimson and pulsated the same. He looked at Tiok with an unnatural expression.

"I was beginning to wonder if you had gone mute, child." came the rich voice of a woman from his lips. Grambo then stroked his cheek with the knife, leaving a small cut behind. He did not cry out this time, for he was far too taken aback for such rational action. He thought he had died, or the pain was making him see things that weren't there. Yet it felt real to him, but strangely, he was not afraid of that.

The voice spoke again, "You are free of the curse. It seems not all of your kind give in so easily to their darker passions. Both you and your female companion resisted temptation, but alas, I'm afraid now only you remain."

"W-What?" Came Tiok's weak voice. Dratiri was...? No! She couldn't be, he was alive, that meant she had to be as well! He began to shake his head.

"Come now child, what did you expect from two adult men alone with a woman? Look and you shall see." and Grambo grasped his cheeks slightly, then turned his head so that Tiok might see what the voice wanted him too.

His heart broke into a thousand pieces as he looked up to see Dratiri hanging bare from a tree branch. Try as he might to look away, he could not. There was his best friend, his greatest lover- dead. Tiok tried to get up, but his weak body wouldn't budge. He wanted to cut her down, to hold her one more time. As he continued to look, he no longer felt anything, no pain, no frustration, no sadness- only numbness. Dratiri was dead, and it was all his fault.

He felt his face turn back to the red eyes of Grambo, but Tiok didn't really look.

"A pity, I know. She had such promise, such a bright future and with you by her side of course. But now her soul rests with Azhriel, Lord of the Underworld and he hoards souls for his own plots. It is unfortunate, but this world is cruel." Grambo paused, as if in thought. The woman's voice came again after a moment, "It doesn't seem fair she was taken from you, now does it? Hmm, perhaps I could help you. Yes, would you like that? I know I would."

This caught the broken man's attention, and he whispered, "What do you mean? Who even are you?" while holding Grambo's gaze.

"How rude of me. You may call me Anu, child. The Giver of Gifts and the Patron of the broken. And child, you are broken. You are weak. I say this not to offend you, but as cold truth. These terrible, wicked men brought this upon you. Wouldn't you like revenge? A chance at making them pay for their actions?"

Tiok listened with interest. What the voice spoke was true, he was weak and broken. There was nothing he could do to change that himself, he was going to die here. Even though something inside of him was screaming to not listen, to run far away, he didn't want to. For his numbness was slowly giving away to anger and rage. They had killed Dratiri and they needed to pay for their crimes.

He said yes with little hesitation.

Grambo smiled as the voice spoke again, "I need but one thing from you and you may have your revenge upon these monsters. It is but a small price to pay for my gift to you. I require your soul, so that you may be free to do as you please with the what is to be given to you. Also, we wouldn't want Azhriel to claim your soul as well, now would we?"

At this, Tiok hesitated. His soul? Could that be given away just like that? To any of his choosing? The thought of this Azhriel, claiming his soul, worried Tiok and it angered him that Dratiri was now ensnared to the underworld. Was there not a better place for the dead? He clutched his fists. Tiok knew what he wanted, revenge for Dratiri's death and to reclaim her soul so that they could be together once more. He looked at Grambo with a fierce determination.

"Is it possible to reclaim a soul? I want to save my beloved, I want her back more than anything. I feel hollow without her by my side, and empty." he asked with a clear voice.

"Anything is possible child. To reach your beloved, you would have to cross the land and the great waters, to reach the Pit of Ahael. There you would find what you seek, but whether or not you obtained it remains to be seen. Azhriel is a fiend, and his lordship over souls makes him mighty. You could not do it as you are now. I shall ask once more; will you accept my gift? If not for revenge, then for your beloved?"

Tiok thought on this new information, coming to the conclusion that any chance where he might find her, was one he had to take.

"I accept your offer. Take my soul."

Grambo's twisted smile deepened and distorted. All at once Tiok felt himself shatter as his vision blurred. He felt something hot and sharp bite into his neck, and his body erupted into flame, yet he was not on fire. This pain was beyond anything he had ever felt before, like a thousand flaming knifes ripping his insides over and over again. He screamed and screamed so loudly he felt his voice give out, leaving only the silence of pain.

---

Tiok knew not how long it had been when he opened his eyes to see a world far clearer and more vibrant then it should have been. For reasons he did not know, he could tell it was still night, but he could see as if it was the day and it didn't bother him. He stood up slowly, the pain he had felt earlier now but a distant memory. He felt good, better than he had ever felt before and with energy abounding. He looked down at his hands and was horrified to find them coated in fresh blood, which still dripped.

Tiok looked before him and saw nothing, but when he turned around, he saw the bodies of the men from earlier that day. Their corpses had been mutilated beyond recognition. He looked away from that, and back to where Dratiri had been hanging. Hey body was gone however and Tiok became distraught with rage.

Losing control of himself, he hit a tree and splintered the side of it by the force of the impact. He let out a deep breath, then placed his forearm on what remained of the tree trunk.

A sudden sound, like the tear of fabric, came from behind him. Tiok spun around with inhumane speed, coming face to face with a red and black mass of some strange substance. It hummed softly and covered the area in a soft glow. Before he had time to do anything, a large armored hand came through the portal, grabbed him tightly around the waist and pulled him through.

End of Part Two

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

@Rune_Alchemist A collab of course! I'll send ya a pm.

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

@Dealdric I have a couple questions pertaining to the blood magic loss. Could you please clarify what that actually entitles? Does she keep what she already knows? Is what she taught to her subjects now gone as well?

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

---

Life

---

"Why are we doing this, Dratiri? We could be punished by the elders!" the young man shouted above the roar of the waterfall, unsure of what to do. He stood precariously upon the edge of a large waterfall, right behind a young woman. She wore nothing but simple clothing, the mist in the air coated her body in tiny water droplets, reflecting the bright light of the day. Her chestnut hair was long and curly as it fell down her back.

"Quite your crying Tiok, you know exactly why we are here! You even agreed to come!" the Dratiri shouted back at Tiok, he looked flustered and afraid. He was taller then she, and it didn't really look like he had grown into himself just yet. He looked young for his age, with soft hazel eyes and a mess of brown hair a top his head. His usual boyish grin was replaced with a stoic look. She cursed under her breath and turned her head around. There was no going back now, it was far too late for that.

"I know, I know!" Tiok said, "I just didn't think we would actually be doing this! Just look how high up we are!" and it was true, the waterfall was the largest in the land, even taller than the trees. Below them was a large tumultuous pool of clear water, that then continued to flow down river. The pool itself was deep, cool, and was the home of many sharp rocks.

The elders had forbidden anyone from swimming or jumping in the pool of water. It was dangerous, they said, and likely to cause injury. Such talk never had persuaded Dratiri to seek safer pursuits, in fact, she relished a challenge. The girl was a thrill seeker, and when not tied down with chores, she was out exploring the land. Tiok was just like her, but more levelheaded when it came to certain dangers. This was one of those times.

Dratiri spun back around to face Tiok and walked up to him. "You promised me we would do this, Tiok! Before the tribe moved on again, you said! Please, please, please! Will you not jump with me?" Dratiri then stood on her toes, and quickly kissed Tiok upon the lips. She then grabbed his hand and moved to the side of him so that they both faced the drop before them. She squeezed his hand, looking up at his worried face.

"It'll be fine!" she said.

Tiok returned the squeeze and bent down to kiss her on the forehead. He took a deep breath of her forest scented hair, always finding it to relax him. He leaned back up and looked at her with a smirk. The look in her eye was fierce, determined and if he said no, he would never hear the end of it.

He took a deep breath and exclaimed, "I love you!"

Dratiri felt warm in that moment, and good and happy. It felt good to be loved, to be wanted. Even better to enjoy such an event with her life partner.

"I love you back!" she shouted at him with joy.

And the two faced the uncertainty of what was before them, together. They held a bond forged by strength of their connection. Both ran in unison to the cliff's edge, hearts pumping with blood through the roar of the water.

They jumped, now letting fate decide their future. The fall could be felt in their stomachs, and adrenaline began to pump in their blood. Dratiri screamed with delight, and Tiok simply screamed. Then as quickly as it had begun, the two disappeared into the mist at the bottom of the falls.

The fight for survival can be seen in all species that walk the earth. They have a will to live, to grow, to reproduce and live contently. Such was the fight they faced in the treacherous waters that pounded their bodies. Thinking smart, Dratiri let the fast current sweep her away, but not without first having her leg sliced by a jagged rock. She let her mouth open to scream and swallowed water, now desperately trying to breath. She began to panic and flail about without thinking, bashing her legs and arms against more rocks. Eventually the current became calm, but she was far too weak to move. Was this how she died?

The world began to go black as she felt something grab her. She tried to breath as her head exited the water, but instead she coughed up water, now feeling dry earth and a hand rubbing her back.

Tiok's voice came next, "Breath Dratiri, breath! You're safe now. You're safe." and safe she felt as her breathing became normal.

She looked up at him with blue eyes, a mischievous smile pursing her lips.

"Let's go again." she said playfully.

Tiok rolled his eyes and began to laugh, which in turn Dratiri laughed as well. After a moment, he kissed her and then looked to her cut leg.

"Hmmm, this one will be an interesting story for the elders. What shall we say? You tripped and fell? Or you tried to ride a Rognyak again?" Tiok said.

Dratiri grumbled, "How many times do I have to tell you, I wasn't trying to ride it! I just wanted a closer look. Now are you going to help me up or what? That cut won't fixed by you after all."

Tiok then helped Dratiri up while saying, "Oh of course, how could I forget that you decided to take a closer look at the Rogynak by attempting to climb it's back? Silly me. Now come on let's g-" Tiok's voice caught off, as his face was frozen with fear. Dratiri began to speak, but instead turned to follow his gaze.

Emerging from the forest, was a group of men brandishing crude weapons stained with blood. In fact, the little torn clothing they wore was dyed a dark red. They were Raving, and there was three of them.

Tiok went to stand in front of Dratiri, the gesture not going unnoticed by the woman. The Raving were feared by all who could think and not act upon darker impulses. The situation was dire, for normally they could outrun the men, but with her cut leg it would be impossible and they both knew that.

Tiok then spoke to them, "We don't want any trouble, please. Just... Just let us go."

They jeered at this, and the largest of the men stepped forward. His bald head loomed above the both of them, and he was riddled with menacing scars. There was hunger in his black eyes, not unlike that of a predator lusting after a kill. To see that in a human was wrong. Tiok and Dratiri were terrified, for they knew what the Raving would do.

"You might not want trouble..." He began in a gruff voice, "But we do. Now... will you make this easy? Or hard?"

Sensing the hopelessness of the situation, Tiok took a defensive stance in front of Dratiri, holding his fists upwards as if ready to strike.

The bald man chuckled, "I like spirit, boy. Makes killing you so much more fun. Rhodak, Yash," He spoke to the other men, "The girl is yours. Leave the boy to me."

Dratiri began to hyperventilate as the men began to approach. Meanwhile, she was being pushed back into the shallow water by Tiok as he stepped backwards.

In a burst of motion, Tiok both ran forward and shouted, "Dratiri run! Run!" as he collided with the men. But they were hardened warriors, and a boy without a weapon was as useless as baby. The bald man quickly let him have a backhanded slap, the force of the blow staggering Tiok to the side.

Dratiri had tried to run, but her leg felt stiff and un-moving, so she fell in the water. The two other men quickly descended upon her as she screamed for help.

Now distraught and needing to help his love, Tiok tried to stand but the bald man stomped on his back repeatedly. He could not scream as he felt his ribs break, but he felt tears roll down his cheek, and heard the laughter of the bald man. The pain was too much to bear, and as his eyes shut, he could vaguely see Dratiri struggling in the water to break free. Then the world went black.

---

End Of Part One

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

Working on a little story right now, will probably finish it tomorrow.

Tabrasa\- Born of Chaos.

@A Lowly Wretch Thank you, that clears it up.