Riven Wight

The Collector (2) [Closed]

Faira’s attention turned to Shawn when a sword appeared in his hand, and began yelling. But she had little time to think on his choice of a can opener before the water in the portrait began pouring out. Faira inhaled and bit her lip as it drenched the carpet, turning it into a sloshing mush before rising enough to cover the toes of her shoes.
“Oh, come on!” she groaned with a mix of exasperation and fear. “Not again!” When she heard the familiar sounds of hyperventilation, she glanced over to Walter. That someone else seemed to share her fear to some extent was somehow mildly reassuring.
She swallowed and glanced to Alexandria as she spoke. She shuddered at the thought of the spiders. “Well, we have to... do...” She let the statement trail off as she noticed one of the raven feathers float by her feet as if caught in a current leading away from the door they had gone through. If there was a second current, there must be another way out.
As quickly as she could, she sloshed through the water, the chill of it soaking through her shoes and socks, following the feather toward one of the bookcases where it stuck in the crack between it and the wall.
Ignoring Marianne as well as she could, she looked back to where a majority of the group was still gathered. “Conna’Cel!” she called, a franticness in her voice.

---

“I knew a guy with a talking sword, once,” Soren began, looking around the room, apparently unfazed by the water pouring from the picture as his twin scowled. “He was actually rather annoying.” He snorted irritably. “Deserved his sword getting cursed.” He stepped toward a tall standing lamp and gripped it mid-shaft. “The thing wouldn’t shut up. Even when it was sheathed. It just kept talking.”
Beneath Soren’s touch, the lamp bent and stretched until it formed into a stepladder that still faintly resembled the lamp, Soren holding it by its handle. He picked up a brass bookend from one of the shelves beside him. The bookend, in the shape of a bust of Hemingway, stretched out into a painfully short crowbar. However, part of the bust’s face remained near the bent claw, now pulled into what looked like a pained scream.
Soren looked at it with a frown as his stomach grumbled. “I’m telling you. This place has nothing but bad juju.” He weaseled his way through the crowd back to the picture and set up his stepladder just outside the cascading water. “I say,” he eyed the portrait as Nikolai moved the pack of food onto the fireplace mantel, “we give the portrait to the spiders. Let them deal with--Hey!” He spun around when Nikolai snatched the crowbar from him.
You’re liable to get us killed, he thought to Soren, pulling the stepladder further to the side rather than nearly directly beneath. I’ll do it.
Soren crossed his arms broodingly as Nikolai, who left no room for him to argue and stepped up on the ladder.
Whatever you do, don’t touch it, Soren warned as he stepped closer and placed a hand on the top bar of the stepladder as if to keep it steady, his watchful gaze on his brother as Nikolai carefully extended the crowbar toward the edge of the painting to try pulling it from whatever fixtures kept it in place.

Melodramatic Deities and an Ageless Taste for Pizza

Gotchya. Thanks for that clarification! I appreciate it. By the way, if I ever get anything wrong in my posts, just let me know. :-)

No worries. I didn't think to ask until now. So how about we just dub it a mutual scatterbrain-ness and call it good?

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Izzy nodded at Riley’s reminder of not working for free. She had expected nothing less. She sighed and frowned when he gave her his price, but nodded again. It was a small price to pay if it would bring an end to this madness without anyone having to die.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as Riley began, a look of cautious suspicion on her face as he continued. She bent her head and glanced to Trevor, wondering if he was a part of “no one person.” She took a deep breath, taking a moment to decide how to answer Riley.
“We all seem pretty miserable as it is," she said with a snort. "But I can’t make that decision for everyone.” She glanced to Cerasus, then looked back to Riley. “Especially without knowing what that entails. So, let’s hear it, first. What is it you’re proposing, exactly?”

They Live Among Us (Vampiricchild x Siaya)

“Four--” Victoria gawked at him for a long moment. Now knowing what he was, it came of little surprise he was older than he looked, but by that number was startling. “Oh...” She moved into the open doorway and leaned her back against the frame. She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath as she leaned her head back, glad she had not asked a more pertinent question.
She released her breath then nodded at Alex’s request. “Yeah,” she said breathily. “A dose of normalcy would be great right about now.” Slowly, she went to a loveseat and sat, hard. Her gaze on the floor, she took a few deep breaths as she tried to think of something, anything to say that did not involve vampires, warlocks, or impending attacks, but no matter how hard she tried, it kept coming back to one of those. “We... we never did finish lunch,” she finally offered, trying to avoid thinking of the reason behind it. Though she was not sure if she could actually eat anything, it was, at least, something normal.

Mystery Inc: No Trace Left Behind { Angel & Siaya }

“Rogers,” Nate repeated slowly, looking down at her with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. “Like, Shaggy Rogers?” He glanced to the flashlight that he still brandished. Realizing he must look somewhere between a complete idiot and total jerk, he cleared his throat and swung the long flashlight so the bulge of the bulb rested on his shoulder. Though he tried to make the action look suave, he hit his shoulder a bit too hard not far from where the door had done its damage, making him wince slightly.
He strode toward her, his boots clicking lightly on the linoleum.
“Nathanial Jones,” he answered her question, offering her a hand to both shake and help her up. “Most people just call me Nate. You shouldn’t be here, you know.”

Melodramatic Deities and an Ageless Taste for Pizza

I hope you got some good sleep! Sleep's just a tad bit important. If you don't mind my asking, what time zone are you in?

Crazy. I like me some good crazy. xD And yep, yep! I'm a little confused as to what the poison did to Pahn. It caused some sort of relapse, forcing out his full potential? I don't think I know enough about what is to come to give any decent critiques or suggestions... Which brings me to another face-palm moment at how scatterbrained I feel right now. What of the plot that you have in mind would you be willing to divulge? We could take that to PM if you'd rather.

Melodramatic Deities and an Ageless Taste for Pizza

To Anora’s surprise, the beast did not so much as step to the side to avoid her attack. She felt the collision like a gentle thump through her entire body. The electricity sparking over the front of the shield sizzled as it seared away rotting flesh, filling the alley with a fetid odor that nearly made her gag. With a quick push of her right hand, the shield shot forward, the ghoul still on its front like the world’s ugliest hood ornament.
As she readied to order the shield to wrap around the ghoul, too late, she saw a snake propelling over it, part of its scaly body gorged and burned. She gasped and staggered back, her eyes wide in fear, but it’s sharp fangs pierced the fabric of her short sleeve and latched into the top of her shoulder.
It took her a short, precious second to remember how to move her other hand, her mind screaming, “GET IT OFF!” like a holy mantra. With her attention no longer on it, her forcefield burst into a formless, glittering mist that quickly dissipated. She reached up, gripped the animal’s head tightly, and pulled. She hissing through her teeth as its fangs tore at her skin. She threw it to the ground and stumbled away from its writhing form as a crackling purple-and-gold bolt surrounded one of her fists, then shot desperately at the creature as it reared its head at her in a furious hiss.
“Why snakes?” she breathed with a shudder as the snake fell still, its head now a hideous, smoldering mess.
Hoping it was not venomous, she swung her attention back to the ghoul just as it readied to make its own attack. Ignoring the stinging in her shoulder, she raised her hand and another translucent shield spread out from her palm.
She jumped and dared to spare only a quick glance around when the reptilian woman’s voice sounded once more as the beast advanced to strike.
But then it shrunk back, turning into a snarling, frightened beast as it backed away. It looked about the alley and its body hunched in a defensive position as if ready to fight or flee from a foe it could not see.
Anora barely had time to register its actions before whatever had overcome it flooded through her as well. It was almost a distress, as if she was about to witness someone dear to her fall into an unparalleled rage, ready to take down anyone who came too close. Yet, it was not the angered she worried for, but the people in his path. His. Somehow, much like when one sees someone they are sure they had met before, but cannot remember from where, she knew this sensation radiated from a man.
Like one of her dreams trying to creep up on her, a vision formed in the back of her mind, its appearance disorienting as her brain registered both it and the alleyway with equal clarity. She reached out to the wall closest to her to help keep her balance, a twinge spiking through her injured shoulder at the action.
In her mind’s eye, she saw a man, his body surrounded in a silvery aura. She tried to see beyond it, to catch a glimpse of the features of the person she inexplicably recognized as the source for this sensation. His image brought a sense of security unlike anything she had ever known, mingled with a respectable fear. This was a man to whom she owed more than she could ever repay.
Anora swallowed and closed her eyes, trying to shake the image and thought off. Though she had scarcely gotten a look at him, she was sure she had never met him before. Right now, she had to finish her fight with the ghoul. Then she could worry about that man. Then she could follow the pull to find him.
Opening her eyes and trying to focus on the physical realm around her, her face twisted in determination. Unsure whether she could do what she had in mind, she held both hands at her side and her powers manifested around them into two solid strips closely resembling her barriers.
With the creature distracted, Anora reached toward it and the two solid masses released from her fingers. They connected mid-flight to form a lengthy shackle that, if successful, would wrap around the ghoul's neck, and embed into the wall of one of the buildings. She shot two more in quick succession in an attempt to pin its arms as well.
Hoping it would detain the creature, she reached down to her boot, pulled her long knife from its hidden sheath, and rushed toward the beast, energy crackling to life over the blade, ready to drive it into the ghoul’s throat.

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Izzy glowered when Cerasus hit her hand away, and returned it to her side. She opened her mouth to give a retort, but Riley’s familiar voice gained her attention She returned the his wave by raising her eyebrows. Of course he would have been observing all this.
"I'm beginning to wonder if you have anything better to do than stalk us," she called as Riley jumped from the remaining portion of rooftop.
She watched the exchange between him and Trevor. When he suggested anything she had said was gossip, she crossed her arms and looked at him incredulously. She gave Trevor a grateful smile at his defense.
When Cerasus spoke, Izzy turned to look at him. “Your agreement?” she asked, her words blending with the first of Riley’s. She snorted softly and shook her head. That explained a couple things.
“Hey!” she scolded as Trevor said “Excuse me?” Her eyes narrowed and she scowled when Riley “corrected” himself.
“So you keep telling me,” she growled at Riley’s comment about Trevor to her. With no answer of her own to give his question, she glanced to Trevor, the same question echoed in her eyes, before returning her attention to Riley. She raised her chin slightly, her arms still over her chest. “My request is another way out of this mess. Because I will not,” she shot Cerasus a quick glare as she continued, “be an instrument in his suicide. If you don’t know of another way, I have the feeling you’ll at least know where to find one.”

To Cure a Curse

Thea gave an almost embarrassed flick of her ever-present apron at Calanon’s thanks. “We’re the ones honored to have you accept our request.” She gave a small smile. “It means more to us than you know.” With that, she returned to the table and collected the emptied plates.
Noticing Calanon’s gaze turn to her, she returned his look. Understanding his nod, she stood then pushed her chair into the table.
Merek quickly followed suit. “Thank you both,” he said with a deep nod of his own. “May the road and winds be on your side.” He stepped around the table and offered a hand to Rayadell.
Rayadell took it and shook, the man’s other massive, rough hand clapping over the back of hers for a moment before he turned to do the same to Calanon.
With their farewells behind them, Rayadell led the way to the back door, exiting first.
Golden rays just brushed the sky, eagerly showing their face to bring the new morning. The call of a couple roosters somewhere on the property greeted the sun with just as much vigor. Here, even in the early spring, a chill clung to the crisp air. The scent of various animals and hay hung heavily on the property, creating a sickly sweet mixture.
Rayadell turned to Calanon. “I should warn you,” she began in her usual monotone. She looked to the stables where she assumed the elk she had heard talk of waited. “Animals and I don’t exactly... get along very well."

Deleted

Disapproval flashed over Izzy’s face when Trevor marched toward her and Cerasus, hating his growing proximity, and momentarily wondering if Trevor had a death wish of his own. As he spoke, she fully released Cerasus, Trevor’s statement confirmed by two words.
Izzy ran a hand down her face, her palm stopping over her mouth as Cerasus sat on the ground, much of his energy drained from him. Drained by her. Just as he had wanted. At least, almost.
She listened intently to Cerasus’ tale, her eyes unseeingly turned to the summer-green mix of overgrown grass and weeds of the lawn. She gave a shaky, heavy exhale as he finished, and sunk to her knees not far from him.
“You would...” she breathed, then swallowed. She ran a hand through the lose part of her hair, but stopped with her fingers still entwined in the strands.
He had planned this from near the beginning. A sacrifice for a sacrifice. And all she would have known of it was what he wanted. She would have lived on, thinking him nothing but a callous, murderous monster she killed in a fearful, desperate rage. No matter how many people he had killed to survive, she could not easily push aside his choices with her. At last, she looked to Cerasus when he spoke once more. She inhaled through her nose at his threat, her stare intensifying, before shock at his tears made her eyes widen.
She looked at him for a long moment, then shook her head, slowly at first, then with more conviction. “No.”
She exhaled heavily and pulled her hand from her hair. She turned her head so Cerasus was only just in her sight, her voice soft as she began. “For... For an ancient king of the night, you’re an idiot, you know that? And still a bad liar. No one really wants to die. Sometimes we think we do, but we don’t. Just normally, people don’t figure that out until it’s too late. Like you said, I saved your life, but I won’t let you throw it away like this.” She shook her head again. “He,” she nodded toward Trevor, “thinks we met because he told me a rumor about you. I called it being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But... but you know what? Maybe it was fate trying to say something. As stupid as that sounds. So, no. I’m not going to kill you. And you’re not going on a killing spree.”
Izzy took another deep breath, and continued in so low a voice she was certain Trevor would not hear even if he stood directly behind her. “You’re still more human than you think, Carasus. A blood-thirsty monster wouldn’t have cared enough to even consider this. They... they would have killed me without a thought the night I offered my throat. But here we are. There must be another way out of this,” she continued slightly louder. “There has to be!”
She glanced to Trevor, hoping he had something to offer, but he did not. She looked around at the field of gently swaying grass and wildflowers that extended around them for miles.
So much for restoring balance, she thought with a sigh. But the sound cut off half way through. She groaned and her shoulders slumped as she looked toward the sky. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this. We need to find Riley. If this isn’t a time when things aren’t completely out of whack, I don’t know what is.”
Izzy got to her feet and moved to stand directly in front of Cerasus. “So, Cerasus Orion Damocles. The hot-blooded, cold-blooded, iron-blooded vampire. The King of Aberrations, and Master of Bazaar Jokes. You going to help find him, or stay here and brood about your suicide mission going awry?” She offered him a hand to help him to his feet.