Sarcelle Renard

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

The prince could not even begin to fathom the pain and sorrow Livia was experienced as her blade plunged into her brother. This was not at all what he meant when he said he would free her, as this was not a burden anyone should have to bear. The wraith’s sorrowful cry echoed through the forest, just another failure Asher would have to shoulder. Just like he would bear all of the anger and hate that he knew Livia was about to unleash. And as she approached him, he prepared to submit himself to her judgement.

Truth be told, Livia’s words cut deep. Far too deep to fully keep the pain out of his expression. No apology would be able to return her brother or give her a sense of purpose. Asher had nothing to offer but hope that eventually the war would be over, something he knew full well would not even come close to easing the wraith’s loss. So he listened to her rage and took her words to heart. Never again did he want to feel like this. Never again did he want to put one of his people through this kind of agony. Asher was ready to take any abuse Livia saw fit to give him, but he did not expect him to go flying past him.

Somebody I love…? Asher didn’t understand the wraith’s threat until he saw her darting straight towards the angel. The angel met his eyes for the briefest of moments and there was a tug at the prince’s heart. He couldn’t comprehend the sudden feeling in his chest or why his hand seemed to rise on its own accord, as if trying to stop Livia. ”Don’t do this…” he begged, although the words came out as little more than a whisper. It was painfully clear to the demon that there was more to his plea than simply wanting to keep his hostage alive, but at the same time he refused to believe it was something as preposterous as love.

Almost without realizing it, the prince summoned forth the last remnants of magic Naya’s potion had granted him, hoping to at the very least throw the wraith off course with a wave of darkness aimed directly at her. ”We are royalty,” he said firmly, addressing the strange creature once more. ”We don’t get the luxury to spout such self-pitying drivel. My people need me, so whether they hate me or not I will always fight to survive and for what I believe in.” While the pain was tolerable, exhaustion had finally worn Asher down completely and made him sink down to one knee, knowing full well he wasn’t going to be getting up again without assistance.

”Now then, what say you? Do you want to live or die?” He assured himself that he was only trying to get the angel to fight because she was no good to him dead. And in his current state, there was nothing else he could do to protect her. The prince kept his eyes locked on to the angel's, trying desperately to believe that.

@Ace of flames01@Narcotic Dollie@Lord Zee@Karos@Cuccoruler@Polaris North

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

@Karos Would the prince's little darkness hand trick be able to grasp the wraithblade? Because he has absolutely no chance of interfering if that is not the case.

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

@Ace of flames01 I suspect a betrayal most foul. Retribution shall be swift!

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

@ArenaSnow *blush* You saw nothing!

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

Asher took the gem, temptation making him waver for a moment. The immense power of the Varghulf would indeed swing the war in the Dark’s favor, as the thing would be damn near unkillable once it started to feed. The peace Asher had longed for his people would be within reach and all he had to do was give the reins of this beast to Livia. Hadn’t he just been incredulous earlier that day at the notion of feeling bad about how peace was achieved? How was this any different?

The Varghulf was in pain from the angel’s attack, but in its pained rampage it threatened to trample her and the mage. Before it got the chance to do just that, several spears of darkness slammed into it with enough force to topple it. ”You forget yourself Livia,” Asher said plainly. ”You are my subject and I am your prince. Do not think that you are in any position to order me.” Another wave of dark magic surged through the prince has he pinned the beast to the ground with the same spell that had backfired so spectacularly earlier. The potion had done wonders for replenishing his magic and getting him moving, but the wraith was right that he was in no condition to kill the beast before him. Still, he would not back down.

The prince’s eyes lost their coldness as he looked back at Livia. ”I don’t know how your brother was taken from you, but he is never coming back from this. You are enslaved by the chains of his memory and I will free you from them,” he promised with all of the confidence in the world. Asher turned and started to approach the beast, the sword in his hand already feeling heavy and the replenished magic already starting to slip through his fingers, but he still walked with the same confidence. ”Besides, I haven't forgotten your question. I may not know what waits for us when we do achieve peace, but I refuse to get there by allowing any of my people become monsters in the process." In the end, the price of the Varghulf was too steep. There was no way his people would be able to use such power without giving in to the bloodlust that the beast would inspire. "If you follow me, we can find out together.”

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

@SouffleGirl123 No need to fret, we all know how it goes. If anything, I appreciate you more for being honest about it and wish you the best of luck.

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

I don't think I'm ready for Asher to give up referring to Octavia as "strange creature."

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

Asher took no pleasure in hearing his adversary break against a tree. Although the man had brought him within an inch of his life, it was clear that the angel shielding the demon had broken the loyal man’s heart. Not to mention the scream that came out of the angel made that odd and awful feeling he felt earlier that day return with a vengeance. You don’t even know the creature’s name. Why are you getting so invested in how she feels? he wondered as he took the potion from her mechanically. A useless feeling flooded him as he could only watch in horror as the fool then proceeded to charge the abomination that Livia had brought forth.

Naya’s potion tasted about as awful as one would expect from something so useful, but Asher downed it without a note of complaint. The effects were almost unreal, as he felt a surge of magic jolt through him while his scorched insides felt like they had been plunged into cool water. He knew full well that his wounds were still in the same sorry state they had been in moments ago, but now he could at least move his body. The prince got to his feet just in time to see the princess relentlessly stabbing at the Varghulf, a being that Asher knew to be the stuff of nightmares from his studies, dancing all too dangerously on the line between being brave and being suicidal.

"Keep this guy busy, understand?!" the strange creature yelled at him, as if she was in any position to be giving him orders. The notion bothered him to no end, but she was already off to heal the mage before he could say anything. Not to mention something like a Varghulf was not an entity to be taken lightly and had already become the prince's primary concern. There was a reason the Dark Children did not keep them around, as they were simply impossible to control for extended periods of time. Something that he would have thought a wraith like Livia would have known full well.

Thankfully he did not have to track the wraith down, as Livia approached him on her own. Asher regarded the incorporeal being coolly, his expression one that commanded authority. “That beast needs to be put down,” he ordered simply, his eyes fixed on the Varghulf, “While I do not doubt your ability to control it, that beast will devour everything if given the chance and you just destroyed the one thing that could contain it.” His tone was matter of fact and offered no room for argument. While the prince wasn’t the most well versed in necromancy, he had read enough of his people's history to know that trying to keep a primal being like a Varghulf bent to one’s will always ended in tragedy.

Before Livia could respond, Uriel arrived on the scene, asking the prince for his orders. With a deft motion, Asher picked up Balmung once more with his less destroyed hand before turning to his general. ”They are simple, we are going to go end that monstrosity,” he replied, gesturing at the Varghulf with the point of his blade. ”Any questions?

Even though he had no time for such distractions, there was still a persistent thought the prince could not quite shake. So it's Octavia then. Huh...

@Ace of flames01@Narcotic Dollie@Lord Zee@Karos@Polaris North@Cuccoruler

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

Purposely cut the post a bit short to give @Lord Zee a bit more room to react to all of the events that are unfolding.

Children of Light and Darkness at War: Can Love Bloom on a Battle Field? (Still unsure of the title) (no longer active)

Each step the mage took punctuated just how screwed Asher was. Fighting was no longer an option and he knew full well that he wasn’t going to be able to talk his way out of this one. The prince didn’t even have enough time to come up with the barest concept of a plan before he was kicked on to his back. With eyes straining to stay open, Asher looked at his soon-to-be killer, with dark hair and bright eyes gleaming with dark intent, wanting to at least see how his life would end.

”With my own sword?” the prince muttered weakly, too tired to laugh at the irony or even feel outraged at his situation. The mage raised Balmung and Asher made his peace with the sorry life he had led. In the end, he had failed both himself and his people, as the war would most likely turn even bloodier with his death. The ground was cold and inviting, a welcome relief from the burning sensation from the light magic coursing through him, and whispered soft promises about the peace that awaited him. Finally, Asher gave up the struggle to keep his eyes open and prepared for the inevitable.

But today he apparently couldn’t even die without being interrupted. A voice gave the mage a very pointed threat with an equally pointed dagger. It took him a moment, but Asher realized that his savior was Naya of all people. What the hell is she doing? he wondered, knowing full well that she had been given the perfect opportunity to escape. The last thing he wanted was for his own stupidity to drag her through even more misfortune than he already had. The children of darkness were not known for their selflessness, and honestly could not afford to lose one of the last decent folk they had left.

There was little time for regret though, as Asher felt somebody throw their body on him. The white wings gave away the fact that it was the angel that was shielding him, begging for his life, and lying to the mage. Not to mention she was also making it quite difficult to focus considering her current position put his face right next to breasts, which thanks to her torn clothes were partially on display. You’re about to die, now is definitely not the time to have your head in the gutter. Regardless though, the prince could not help but ask what could possibly possess the woman to go to such lengths to protect him, the one that had brought so much misery into her life. In fact, Asher was finding more and more questions he wanted to ask the strange creature, assuming of course he somehow managed to survive all of this.