Member
Jace
“Ok, draw. Now, pull the bowstring just a little further… Hold… Hold… Hol—Dammit, Lacie, I told you to hold!” I barked as the arrow was sent flying prematurely and the hare escaped with its life.
“What do you expect me to do, keep this drawn for 10 minutes?!” She barked back. “I don’t have your muscle, this is a man’s bow anyway!”
“It’s not a man’s bow if it’s not a man holding it. And if you don’t have the muscle to hold it in a drawn position until you aim then at least learn to become faster!”
“Or do push-ups, right? Get all bulky in the arms.” She grumbled, passing the bow on to me by slamming it against my chest. I had to hurry to catch it before it fell – who knew when we’d be able to find new strings if these broke. “You do it then, master, since you’re oh-so-great with it.” I frowned at the insult – I myself had only learnt to shoot a bow once I came here and she knew that well enough.
“Whatever.” I decided and crossed my arms. “We’ll just have to hope Zaiden’s got something. ”
We started walking back, me trying to ignore both the cacophony inside and outside my head – Lacie was making a fuss over me underestimating her and I tried not to think back to the times me and Zaiden used to bring meat “home” every evening. We didn’t get to eat meat very often nowadays. Lacie keeps insisting on me letting her shoot the game, Dwyer and Aimee were never much for hunting and--- agh!
I look down at my feet, one of which has just been punctured by a freaking bright-pink thorn. With our luck it must be poisonous and gift me with a nice little diarrhea. I cursed, taking it out and slipping it in my pocket just in case Dwyer knew what it is. He’s been here longer than me and has definitely had more accidents too.
“Klutz.” Lacie attempted an offence but I just rolled my eyes.
“Not as much as you are, Ms My-clothes-don’t-survive-longer-than-a-week.”
“That’s because I have more than one set in my wardrobe and can afford to lose some of them.”
That bitch…
“But don’t worry.” She continued. “My project is almost completed. Soon you’ll get some new clothes.”
I glanced at her wondering if that should be reassuring. Indeed, the thing she was wearing wasn’t half bad but… knowing her weird tastes I was worried about what she’d come up with. Well, we’ll have to wait and see.
We reach the clearing where our meeting-point is and I see Zaiden leaning against a tree. His vacant stare pisses me off instantly and I strive over to him, punching him in the face without a warning.
“What are you spacing out at, huh?! Where’s you crossbow, what if a beast found you, goofing around like that in the open, huh?!”
Lacie
Jace is at it again. Leave it to him to sow senseless brutality around. I hope at least this time Zaiden whoops his ass so bad that he won’t try to provoke him for at least a week. I’m growing tired of trying to stop them, so this time I’ll just pretend I don’t care.
That’s not that hard to do considering Dwyer is back and… he’s not alone. I blink. Beside him walk two new people, a tall and lanky… punk-like… hippy guy? And a nerdy girl with an equally peculiar hair-colour and ripped clothes. Judging by their looks it doesn’t seem like they’ve been here long. At least the guy, as his brown roots aren’t showing yet; I’m not so sure about the girl.
“Is it them we’re having for dinner?” I ask as I approach, doing my best to appear dangerous and threatening for the fun of it.
“Welcome to our merry little company. I’m Lacie, the designer of the group. Those morons at the back you can ignore as I assume within minutes one of them will be killed anyway, and let’s hope it’s the one in the suit.” I offer my hand for a handshake, wondering if any of them would have the guts to grab it after such a freaky introduction. It does occur to me that they might be shaken and displeased at being here but I find dwelling on that a useless exercise. The earlier they get accustomed to all this craziness, the better.
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Indulging in sweet memories of bygone days.
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"When a human's tears finally dry up they transform into a monster. They dry up themselves. So laugh, laugh with pride and arrogance, just as always."
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Most Recent Posts
Sol I need to go but I might be unable to for the next few days so if you want to post - go ahead. Sorry, just RL..
Quick reminder - I'm posting my piece in either 22 or 46 hours from now.
Whoever still needs to post before that better do it ASAP. Whoever doesn't get to post before I do, will have to use Flashbacks.
Good luck, all, and prepare for imminent death and destruction~
Whoever still needs to post before that better do it ASAP. Whoever doesn't get to post before I do, will have to use Flashbacks.
Good luck, all, and prepare for imminent death and destruction~
Thank you. ^^ And sorry for the wait. Looking forward to interacting with everyone. I'll try my best to make it worth it. :D
I was thinking they're both off hunting squirrels and birds? If that yould work out. :)
Huh? xD Why?
Finally!!!!!
Lacie
Name: Lacie Smith
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Hair Colour: Ash-Blonde
Eye Colour: Grey with some green specks
Appearance:
My looks are deceiving. People always used to think I’m a little angel in school, always serious, quiet, seeming almost shy. I never tried to make them believe that, it just happened naturally – a blonde girl with a cute face – she must be timid and into poetry and horse-riding. Well, I like horse-riding but I hate poetry. It’s a waste of time. Anyway, I was irked by that at first but then I realized it served in my advantage – when I hadn’t studied enough the teachers would still let me pass because obviously my canary bird must have died the night before. Now, my classmates, they were a little more insightful. I suppose it comes with the time spent together. They realized they shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and soon started avoiding or downright bullying me. Anyway, back to how I look.
My hands are almost always busy with something. I love exploring new things or creating such. Because of that my clothes don’t last very long in their pristine un-ripped state and nor does my hair. I try to keep it in a loose bun held together by some sticks like a geisha’s but it more often uncoils than not. That’s why you’ll see me playing around with my hair a lot. And no, I’m not going to make it into a ponytail and that’s that.
Clothes wise, I came here in a long striped shirt and skinny jeans tucked into a pair of high brown military-style boots. I love my shoes and would never give up on them. The whole costume is also still around but so are some other weird creations of rainbow colours and bright Dwyer-style clothes. I wear my shirt when I sleep or want to look presentable but you’ll likely see me in another one that I managed to create here. It resembles a Japanese kimono, with the long sleeves and all – it’s mostly black and makes me look like a ninja and I freaking love it!
Personality:
First thing anyone’s going to tell you about me is that I can be “brutally honest”. That’s not true. I have a perfect sense of tact and am well aware of what I’m saying and why. I can hold back my words and I often do. But at the same time, I often voice my opinions too. This is what gets to people – some truths are harsh and people don’t like hearing them. But what’s better to lose in our circumstances – your pride or your life?
What people might not tell you, or might not even realize, for all I know, is how rational I am. Some might say, too rational. I always try to calculate the safest and most efficient way of doing things – which in our circumstances sadly leads to taking a lot of risks too. I don’t mind that, I like the thrill of reasonable risks, just not big ones that I can’t predict the outcome of. Well, then again, luckily we have Dwyer and Jace and Zaiden who are quite reckless themselves so they’re usually eager to take those. Sometimes a little too eager…
Anyway. Yeah, I care about logic, order, duty, practicality and all that nonsense (it’s biological, I can’t help it but that doesn’t mean I like it either) but I also care a lot about… fun? I suppose you could call it that? I love it when my hands and mind are both busy at the same time, be it through hunting or making shelter or… less practical things like… clothes… Ok, there you have it. I love making clothes, bite me! I just can’t help it, the feeling of creating something unique and then watch it walk around on someone’s shoulders is irreplaceable. Sadly I don’t get to find materials very often here but when I do I know how to utilize them. I used to love dressing up in all kinds of weird clothing, often even male, back in my world. Here I’m restricted but you’ll still see me trying to come up with different kinds of costumes and make people wear them. My ambition at the moment is find enough fabric to complete the dresses I made for the boys. I can’t wait to see them put on those long skirts!
History:
Boring… Do I have to? Come on, it doesn’t really matter now, does it?
Alright, I’ll keep it short. I didn’t like the other world too much and whatever this one is, I think it’s somewhat better. I have friends here, even if they’re all fucked up in their own ways.
How I ended up here is none of your business but I’ll tell you I rather like this place. It has many things we don’t understand but that’s the beauty of it. If anything, it’s easier to understand and handle than the other one where you have to struggle half your life trying to understand what “social expectations” means and how you can meet them. Here all you have to worry about is survival and completing those stupid tasks that are being given to us. It’s much more straight-forward and much more logical.
So since I came here I had to learn quite a few survival tricks with the others – hunting, building camps, gathering stuff from the forest, all those practical skills that make my heart swell with pride and joy. I’m mostly taking care of clothes and camps but I’m also doing alright in learning how to hunt from the guys. They’re naturals at it, unlike me, but I’m getting there. My aim is better than Jace’s, even if my speed and strength aren’t, and that sometimes comes in handy.
Are you already in the group, or will you meet up with them?
I’ve been with the group for longer than I’d like to. I can’t remember how long it’s been but it’s been long enough to shake my belief that we’re ever getting out of here, if you know what I mean. To be honest, though, I’m not really sure if I even want to anymore either.
Jace
Name: Jace Acker
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Sexuality: … you’re creeping me out.
Hair Colour: Dark. Huh? Oh, dark brown. Or black, whichever.
Eye Colour: Hazel.
Appearance:
I’m tall and strong but not bulky. My built is slim but don’t let that mislead you – I have enough muscle to take you down and you’d notice that if you saw me with my shirt off. I haven’t specifically trained to get them, though, so they’re not bodybuilder-style but more like those of an athlete. They came with long practice, not with senseless training so they don’t stand out like kitchen-tiles.
Huh, other than that… I wear headbands to stop the sweat from getting in my eyes when I’m on the move. My hair’s grown since I came here so now it fits in a small ponytail that makes me look like some guy from the eighteen hundreds. Lacie says it suits me so I keep it to humor her but I try to keep it groomed the best I can. I also refuse to stop shaving – just because we’re stranded in this world doesn’t mean we have to go completely Robinson Crusoe. The clothes I came in… ok, don’t laugh but they’re formal. A white shirt, trousers, a vest-coat and even a tie. No, I’m not fucking with you, dammit! It’s just that I was on my way to a job-interview when I got here, ok? Obviously, I tried to keep those clothes safe for the first months but now they’re mostly ruined. They still stand but are shabby and torn and Lacie keeps insisting on me wearing them because they made me look like some guy from that anime in a post-apocalyptic setting shit. When she starts going off about that it really irritates me and I just strip them right there, right then. You should see her expression then as she swallows her words and goes red like a tomato.
Anyway, I wear them because I don’t have anything other to wear right now. The shoes are a horrible inconvenience so I leave them behind when we’re hunting and the tie is utilized more like a rope than a formal accessory so it looks like shit. Lacie said she’s working on getting us all new garments but I can’t imagine what she could create with what we have. Probably a furry loincloth made from the hide of one of our dinners. Well, I’ll seriously kill her if that’s the case, but I’ll warn you to avert your gaze before I do, so don’t worry.
Personality:
I’m very competitive. It’s my curse. I’ve always been and always will be and I see nothing wrong in that. Zaiden used to be my Rival, someone I honestly struggled keeping up with. Right until he Fell. That bastard, I’ll never forgive his current state! He’s like a broken marionette still trying to move its limbs despite the missing strings instead of trying to reattach them! He has lost a huge chunk of his confidence and that annoys me to no end. And he doesn’t even want to speak about it either. I thought we were something akin to friends but he doesn’t--- even thinking about that brings my blood to the boil. I’ve always had an explosive temper and his attitude only ever worsens it. I often try to ask him of what happened but so far it’s been an useless waste of breath. I’ve tried everything, from pleading him to pressuring him into telling me. I’ve even tried to beat it out of him on a few occasions. Unfortunately despite his state of mind he hasn’t lost his skills and a fistfight doesn’t always end well for me.
If I have sympathy for him? No. None. He’s let the lab-people, those stupid bastards, break him. And it’s as much his fault as it is theirs. Lacie says I have anger issues and aggression-issues. I don’t care what she says, it doesn’t change my feelings. Besides, wouldn’t you, if you were trapped in a pocked dimension against your own fucking will?
Whatever. Enough about that. Let’s talk about my good side, because, yes, I have that too, surprise, surprise. In fact it’s the first thing that the people here noticed when we first met… I think. Probably, after my tantrum over having lost that fight. I have a high moral sense and I’m a good team-worker. Sure, I try to outmatch my teammates, but hey, we get the job done and we do it well. Me and Zaiden used to be quite the team. We could take down a wolf, just the two of us, not to mention those lab-people if we ever got to them. But… that past is just another thing making it hard to forgive him.
Oh, good sides… Well, yeah, I mean, I’m not always at people’s throats. I wouldn’t lash out on a good day and I enjoy good days a lot. I enjoy being around people, in fact when I came here I was quite excited about meeting all the others and taking up my role as a piece of our gear. It’s just that Zaiden’s current personality is a constant reminder now of the threat we’re under. I used to consider all this a game before he changed. Now I don’t want to see it happen to anyone else and I’ll do whatever I have to, to bring the old Zaiden back. Even if I have to reshape his skull for that.
History:
I used to be in a gang. Does that tell you enough? Well it should, if you’ve seen any of those documentaries on Discovery. But we weren’t criminals, it was a small gang in a big city. We didn’t deal or even use drugs (to my knowledge), we just always loved a good fistfight. No weapons, when we could help it. You might ask why not just do some martial arts if we were so into fighting? Well because of their stupid philosophy of “never attack first, treat your rival with respect” and all that shit. Never seemed reasonable to me. When you fight all that matters is who wins – it’s not something I do with consideration of some moral stances I have to battle over. No, it’s just to get your muscles and joints moving and your adrenalin pumping. There’s no right or wrong way to lead a fight, as long as you’re not attacking unprepared people. And there are plenty of people causing trouble out there that deserve a good beating.
So yeah, I used to care a lot about my friends and all that, right before they started going too far themselves. They stated dealing and that’s when I was out. Almost. I wanted to get THEM out first. So we got into a fight and… and maybe that’s how I got here. Maybe I overestimated myself and being here is my little form of punishment. Or maybe it’s just a bootcamp to make me stronger. Whatever it is, I don’t dislike the challenge and I’m sure than one day I’ll come out of this victorious. And then I’ll hunt those bastards down and beat the shit out of their hollow heads until they beg me to stop and promise to never touch that white crap ever again!
Are you already in the group, or will you meet up with them?
I’ve been with them for a long time now. Months, maybe years. But even if they’re like another family to me, I can’t feel entirely happy until we’re out. We’re all little white mice trapped in this illusion for the amusement of those sock bastards in the lab and I can’t forgive that. Once I get out I’ll bend their faces inwards, no matter how great their cause and what their reasons to keep us here might be.
Loosely appropriate pictures:
Lacie
Jace
Name: Lacie Smith
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Hair Colour: Ash-Blonde
Eye Colour: Grey with some green specks
Appearance:
My looks are deceiving. People always used to think I’m a little angel in school, always serious, quiet, seeming almost shy. I never tried to make them believe that, it just happened naturally – a blonde girl with a cute face – she must be timid and into poetry and horse-riding. Well, I like horse-riding but I hate poetry. It’s a waste of time. Anyway, I was irked by that at first but then I realized it served in my advantage – when I hadn’t studied enough the teachers would still let me pass because obviously my canary bird must have died the night before. Now, my classmates, they were a little more insightful. I suppose it comes with the time spent together. They realized they shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and soon started avoiding or downright bullying me. Anyway, back to how I look.
My hands are almost always busy with something. I love exploring new things or creating such. Because of that my clothes don’t last very long in their pristine un-ripped state and nor does my hair. I try to keep it in a loose bun held together by some sticks like a geisha’s but it more often uncoils than not. That’s why you’ll see me playing around with my hair a lot. And no, I’m not going to make it into a ponytail and that’s that.
Clothes wise, I came here in a long striped shirt and skinny jeans tucked into a pair of high brown military-style boots. I love my shoes and would never give up on them. The whole costume is also still around but so are some other weird creations of rainbow colours and bright Dwyer-style clothes. I wear my shirt when I sleep or want to look presentable but you’ll likely see me in another one that I managed to create here. It resembles a Japanese kimono, with the long sleeves and all – it’s mostly black and makes me look like a ninja and I freaking love it!
Personality:
First thing anyone’s going to tell you about me is that I can be “brutally honest”. That’s not true. I have a perfect sense of tact and am well aware of what I’m saying and why. I can hold back my words and I often do. But at the same time, I often voice my opinions too. This is what gets to people – some truths are harsh and people don’t like hearing them. But what’s better to lose in our circumstances – your pride or your life?
What people might not tell you, or might not even realize, for all I know, is how rational I am. Some might say, too rational. I always try to calculate the safest and most efficient way of doing things – which in our circumstances sadly leads to taking a lot of risks too. I don’t mind that, I like the thrill of reasonable risks, just not big ones that I can’t predict the outcome of. Well, then again, luckily we have Dwyer and Jace and Zaiden who are quite reckless themselves so they’re usually eager to take those. Sometimes a little too eager…
Anyway. Yeah, I care about logic, order, duty, practicality and all that nonsense (it’s biological, I can’t help it but that doesn’t mean I like it either) but I also care a lot about… fun? I suppose you could call it that? I love it when my hands and mind are both busy at the same time, be it through hunting or making shelter or… less practical things like… clothes… Ok, there you have it. I love making clothes, bite me! I just can’t help it, the feeling of creating something unique and then watch it walk around on someone’s shoulders is irreplaceable. Sadly I don’t get to find materials very often here but when I do I know how to utilize them. I used to love dressing up in all kinds of weird clothing, often even male, back in my world. Here I’m restricted but you’ll still see me trying to come up with different kinds of costumes and make people wear them. My ambition at the moment is find enough fabric to complete the dresses I made for the boys. I can’t wait to see them put on those long skirts!
History:
Boring… Do I have to? Come on, it doesn’t really matter now, does it?
Alright, I’ll keep it short. I didn’t like the other world too much and whatever this one is, I think it’s somewhat better. I have friends here, even if they’re all fucked up in their own ways.
How I ended up here is none of your business but I’ll tell you I rather like this place. It has many things we don’t understand but that’s the beauty of it. If anything, it’s easier to understand and handle than the other one where you have to struggle half your life trying to understand what “social expectations” means and how you can meet them. Here all you have to worry about is survival and completing those stupid tasks that are being given to us. It’s much more straight-forward and much more logical.
So since I came here I had to learn quite a few survival tricks with the others – hunting, building camps, gathering stuff from the forest, all those practical skills that make my heart swell with pride and joy. I’m mostly taking care of clothes and camps but I’m also doing alright in learning how to hunt from the guys. They’re naturals at it, unlike me, but I’m getting there. My aim is better than Jace’s, even if my speed and strength aren’t, and that sometimes comes in handy.
Are you already in the group, or will you meet up with them?
I’ve been with the group for longer than I’d like to. I can’t remember how long it’s been but it’s been long enough to shake my belief that we’re ever getting out of here, if you know what I mean. To be honest, though, I’m not really sure if I even want to anymore either.
Name: Jace Acker
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Sexuality: … you’re creeping me out.
Hair Colour: Dark. Huh? Oh, dark brown. Or black, whichever.
Eye Colour: Hazel.
Appearance:
I’m tall and strong but not bulky. My built is slim but don’t let that mislead you – I have enough muscle to take you down and you’d notice that if you saw me with my shirt off. I haven’t specifically trained to get them, though, so they’re not bodybuilder-style but more like those of an athlete. They came with long practice, not with senseless training so they don’t stand out like kitchen-tiles.
Huh, other than that… I wear headbands to stop the sweat from getting in my eyes when I’m on the move. My hair’s grown since I came here so now it fits in a small ponytail that makes me look like some guy from the eighteen hundreds. Lacie says it suits me so I keep it to humor her but I try to keep it groomed the best I can. I also refuse to stop shaving – just because we’re stranded in this world doesn’t mean we have to go completely Robinson Crusoe. The clothes I came in… ok, don’t laugh but they’re formal. A white shirt, trousers, a vest-coat and even a tie. No, I’m not fucking with you, dammit! It’s just that I was on my way to a job-interview when I got here, ok? Obviously, I tried to keep those clothes safe for the first months but now they’re mostly ruined. They still stand but are shabby and torn and Lacie keeps insisting on me wearing them because they made me look like some guy from that anime in a post-apocalyptic setting shit. When she starts going off about that it really irritates me and I just strip them right there, right then. You should see her expression then as she swallows her words and goes red like a tomato.
Anyway, I wear them because I don’t have anything other to wear right now. The shoes are a horrible inconvenience so I leave them behind when we’re hunting and the tie is utilized more like a rope than a formal accessory so it looks like shit. Lacie said she’s working on getting us all new garments but I can’t imagine what she could create with what we have. Probably a furry loincloth made from the hide of one of our dinners. Well, I’ll seriously kill her if that’s the case, but I’ll warn you to avert your gaze before I do, so don’t worry.
Personality:
I’m very competitive. It’s my curse. I’ve always been and always will be and I see nothing wrong in that. Zaiden used to be my Rival, someone I honestly struggled keeping up with. Right until he Fell. That bastard, I’ll never forgive his current state! He’s like a broken marionette still trying to move its limbs despite the missing strings instead of trying to reattach them! He has lost a huge chunk of his confidence and that annoys me to no end. And he doesn’t even want to speak about it either. I thought we were something akin to friends but he doesn’t--- even thinking about that brings my blood to the boil. I’ve always had an explosive temper and his attitude only ever worsens it. I often try to ask him of what happened but so far it’s been an useless waste of breath. I’ve tried everything, from pleading him to pressuring him into telling me. I’ve even tried to beat it out of him on a few occasions. Unfortunately despite his state of mind he hasn’t lost his skills and a fistfight doesn’t always end well for me.
If I have sympathy for him? No. None. He’s let the lab-people, those stupid bastards, break him. And it’s as much his fault as it is theirs. Lacie says I have anger issues and aggression-issues. I don’t care what she says, it doesn’t change my feelings. Besides, wouldn’t you, if you were trapped in a pocked dimension against your own fucking will?
Whatever. Enough about that. Let’s talk about my good side, because, yes, I have that too, surprise, surprise. In fact it’s the first thing that the people here noticed when we first met… I think. Probably, after my tantrum over having lost that fight. I have a high moral sense and I’m a good team-worker. Sure, I try to outmatch my teammates, but hey, we get the job done and we do it well. Me and Zaiden used to be quite the team. We could take down a wolf, just the two of us, not to mention those lab-people if we ever got to them. But… that past is just another thing making it hard to forgive him.
Oh, good sides… Well, yeah, I mean, I’m not always at people’s throats. I wouldn’t lash out on a good day and I enjoy good days a lot. I enjoy being around people, in fact when I came here I was quite excited about meeting all the others and taking up my role as a piece of our gear. It’s just that Zaiden’s current personality is a constant reminder now of the threat we’re under. I used to consider all this a game before he changed. Now I don’t want to see it happen to anyone else and I’ll do whatever I have to, to bring the old Zaiden back. Even if I have to reshape his skull for that.
History:
I used to be in a gang. Does that tell you enough? Well it should, if you’ve seen any of those documentaries on Discovery. But we weren’t criminals, it was a small gang in a big city. We didn’t deal or even use drugs (to my knowledge), we just always loved a good fistfight. No weapons, when we could help it. You might ask why not just do some martial arts if we were so into fighting? Well because of their stupid philosophy of “never attack first, treat your rival with respect” and all that shit. Never seemed reasonable to me. When you fight all that matters is who wins – it’s not something I do with consideration of some moral stances I have to battle over. No, it’s just to get your muscles and joints moving and your adrenalin pumping. There’s no right or wrong way to lead a fight, as long as you’re not attacking unprepared people. And there are plenty of people causing trouble out there that deserve a good beating.
So yeah, I used to care a lot about my friends and all that, right before they started going too far themselves. They stated dealing and that’s when I was out. Almost. I wanted to get THEM out first. So we got into a fight and… and maybe that’s how I got here. Maybe I overestimated myself and being here is my little form of punishment. Or maybe it’s just a bootcamp to make me stronger. Whatever it is, I don’t dislike the challenge and I’m sure than one day I’ll come out of this victorious. And then I’ll hunt those bastards down and beat the shit out of their hollow heads until they beg me to stop and promise to never touch that white crap ever again!
Are you already in the group, or will you meet up with them?
I’ve been with them for a long time now. Months, maybe years. But even if they’re like another family to me, I can’t feel entirely happy until we’re out. We’re all little white mice trapped in this illusion for the amusement of those sock bastards in the lab and I can’t forgive that. Once I get out I’ll bend their faces inwards, no matter how great their cause and what their reasons to keep us here might be.
Loosely appropriate pictures:
Lacie
Jace
Waii IC.
Sorry guys, I failed yesterday. I'll defo do the cses today. I can tell you now that the names are Jace and Lacie and they were both with the group for some time now.
Sorry guys, I failed yesterday. I'll defo do the cses today. I can tell you now that the names are Jace and Lacie and they were both with the group for some time now.
Lol finally got to this.
Hey Chelubai! Interesting character you've got there. Will be curious to form an opinion of him.
And Fiery... you did a good job with making yours sympathetic. Didn't honestly think you could. :p
I'm starting the shaping my CS now. :3
Hey Chelubai! Interesting character you've got there. Will be curious to form an opinion of him.
And Fiery... you did a good job with making yours sympathetic. Didn't honestly think you could. :p
I'm starting the shaping my CS now. :3
Lucien, Hazumi and Azel
Hazumi didn’t usually return home before dusk but in her current state even she realized it was the wise thing to do. There were still hours to go before the sun came up when she landed on the rooftop, this time too tired to stretch or do anything else. In fact, even the flight here had felt like an agonizing eternity – the wounds weren’t healing properly and the mysterious hunger from before was threatening to resurface.
What’s wrong with me? the angel wondered with a sigh as she sat down and let her eyes roam over the city. It was unusually quiet, no crime or violence screaming to make itself noticed. It was too calm somehow, in a way that spelled upcoming disaster… But of what kind? Would it mean too much work… or too little? Her hands were itching to taste blood but there was nothing worth killing for. Hazumi bit her lip and tried to reject the idea of once again losing her purpose.
She got to her feet and staggered back to the apartment where her almost-splitting image opened the door. Both of them took a surprised step back – her because she still wasn’t used to seeing her own self staring back at her, and him, because of the state of her beaten body. After a second elapsed they both silently nodded at each other and Azel took a few steps back, his fake wings catching on the light-fixture and causing a curse. A smile touched Hazumi’s lips at the familiarity of that feeling. Taking a rugged breath she stepped into the bathroom and sat on the closed toilet, leaning her back on the cold tile. She heard Azel alerting Lucien of her return and tried to clear her throat enough to speak. The action caused the rupture to soak her shirt with more blood so she pressed her hand against her broken throat before she tried to speak again.
“Guys?” She called, her voice strangely faltering. “Could you come over, please?”
Lucien was sharpening his blade. There was something coming. He could feel it. Just like it was in the days before heaven's gate fell. War. Death. Catastrophe. There would be blood and death. That much is certain. Lucien grinned. "I hope your sheep are ready for it, Cowards. Because true Demons are knocking on the door.." He said aloud, apparently speaking to the Council. Several good things would come from the chaos, that much was certain. He heard the door opening, and glanced over expectantly. The nightly ritual hadn't stopped, even when it was revealed that the Cowards had been lying to and manipulating her for their own purposes.
His dau-the Demon came first. Lucien's face flickered with grief, and then it was gone, back into his usual mask of repressed violence. It was a constant battle, to remind himself that it wasn't his daughter, walking and breathing again. It did nothing to improve his opinion of the demon, but he had to admit it's effectiveness. The Demon was still breathing when it should be killed and rotting by now. Didn't make it any less annoying, but it served the purpose of keeping the Demon alive, certainly. As Azel began to speak, likely to alert him of the obvious, Hazumi called out. Something was wrong.
Lucien stood quickly, brushing past the Demon, and opened the door tot he bathroom. At a glance he took in the damage. "What happened?"
"Maulrnuk..." Hazumi said simply and swallowed which made her frown. "But... something is wrong."
Azel poked his head in the bathroom and his mouth quivered into an unbelieving smile.
"Are we seriously having a conversation in the bathroom?"
"I'm still bleeding." Hazumi explained with a frown. "I'd get the carpet dirty. I barely managed to get out the stains Lucien created yesterday."
"Right. Well, I'll go read--"
"No. Stay." Hazumi asked and leaned her head on her knee with a sigh. "I need advise. I need to know what I'm fighting for. I need to know what you guys fight for."
Azel jumped the opportunity to talk first - he knew once Lucien started his opinion would be as good as non-existent.
"Survival. But if I had your guys' power, I'd fight for peace. I'd try to protect the weaklings such as myself and allow them to leave their own trail in this world."
Hazumi stared at him with a puzzled look.
"I thought you demons preyed on the weak."
"A biological need is not the same as an ideological desire. Death will always exist, I just wish I could tip the balance enough to give everyone an opportunity to live, not just the strongest ones. Like in the human world - something you two wouldn't know enough about."
"What do you mean?"
"Humans are almost identical phycisally. Sure, they still find ways to prey on each other but they're much closer to equality than any of us."
Hazumi didn't say anything but it was obvious she was trying to comprehend the idea of humans being worthy of respect.
Ah. Maulrnuks. Nasty little bastards. As Hazumi explained to Azel about the reasons she had decided to have this conversation in the bathroom, Lucien wisely decided not to pursue the subject of how it was just a carpet and she was bleeding. Some things were not meant to be understood, and this was clearly one of them. He remained silent as Hazumi asked her question and the Demon leapt in before he could. There was something to what the Demon said. As he finished, Lucien spoke.
"The Demon is right. Out of all of us, the humans have nothing that makes any one of them better than the other biologically. They all suffer from the same weaknesses, the same strengths. Things only begin to change when they change it. As for what I fight for, I'll tell you that when you tell me what is wrong." She had said something was wrong before Azel had stuck his head in there, and she had abruptly changed the subject. He leaned against the wall, sword in hand, waiting expectantly.
Hazumi's eyes slid up to meet Lucien's and she stared at him as if he had the pieces necessary for her to form a sentence.
"Something is wrong... with me." She admitted. "With my body and my soul... I don't know what but they're malfunctioning and... not healing properly and... plaguing me with hunger... It feels... strange. But worse than that, I'm not sure that... that what I'm doing is right. If I shouldn't be doing something else." She sighed and leaned her head back on her knee. This was pathetic.
Lucien raised an eyebrow. It was rare for an Angel's healing property, even with the current sheep of the Council, to not work. And strange hunger? It was odd, to say the least. "Hunger for what, exactly?" The unsureness could be dealt with easily enough later. The failing of the things in combat that are keeping her alive, that was a bit more complicated to deal with. And who knows? Maybe(as impossible as it was) she was hungry for demon flesh and he could solve that problem quite quickly. Lucien glanced briefly at Azel at the thought, smirking slightly.
Hazumi didn't look up at him this time and she kept silent for slightly longer than before. Her voice sounded uncertain when she spoke.
"I don't know... All I know is that I want to kill. It doesn't feel right to... it doesn't feel right to come back home so early when I know there's so much to kill out there. But how do I know if they really deserve to die?"
"Well they probably don't." Azel muttered irritably.
Lucien didn't even bother glancing at the demon this time. "Depends on who you're killing. Most humans don't deserve to die. They live normal lives, doing the best they can with what they have. Some, however, are like demons. Evil, they give into the darker sides of their nature. Murders, rapists, child molestors. They deserve to die." Lucien stared at Azel now. "Most demons deserve to die as well. Whether it be simply their nature or personal choice, they cause nothing but death and suffering wherever they go. Humans are playthings to them. Some, very few, don't deserve to die. For whatever reason, they use their powers to help. To Keep the Balance, or to protect, or care for. Very, very few."
Hazumi looked up to Lucien and pinned her eyes on his.
"That... You sound wiser than you did before. You sound more like an Archangel now." She pointed out. "They also say that. But they don't think humans deserve to die at all. But... they told me to kill those humans... Or... could you have been the one who gave me that order?" Something dark appeared in her eyes as she placed the accusation and only spread when she continued. "In order to shake my belief in the Council? In order to make me do your bidding...?"
Lucien's eyes narrowed. "Be very careful. I am many things, most of them flaws, but I am not the type to order the death of innocents just to convince one that she is being blinded and manipulated by the Cowards." He gave a bitter smile, remembering. "They say alot. They said their new weapon would make Angels stronger, make it easier for us to fight against the Demons who were slowly but surely winning the War. We believed them. I believed them. She believed them, and was the first to volunteer. Her death wasn't quick, nor clean. A Demonic parasite, if what they told me was true. Worked too fast, they said. Honorable sacrifice, they said. Then, they turned around and used her as a scape goat for when we lost the war."
"In other words, no. I don't want you to see the truth about them badly enough that I'd convince you to murder humans who didn't deserve to die, even if I possessed that power!"
Hazumi smacked her lips and paused before she finally spoke.
“What happened to her. Tell me more. ...And what happened to you.”
"That," Lucien said softly, "is a very long story. You sure you want me to tell you it?"
Was she? That story could further convince her of the incompetence of the Council and only double her doubts. Then again, hadn't she always wished to be able to know as much about them as she possibly could? Hadn't she wished to be educated and respected for knowledge that went further than demon's anathomy and skills?
And did she really have anything left to lose?
Biting her lip nervously Hazumi nodded.
Lucien was silent for a few moments before beginning. "It was towards the end of the Great War. Hell's forces were marching steadily towards Heaven's gate and there was nothing we could do to stop them. We had lost this war of attrition. When we died, our souls went back to heaven and then were reborn, but we took time to grow into our full strength. When we beat our opponents, our only benefit was knowledge how to kill that type easily, and there was always more, always stronger."
"The Demons, however, when the Demons died, they were reborn and ready to fight within seconds of being reborn. When they beat their opponents, they were one step closer to evolving, to becoming stronger. For everyone we slew, dozens would leap up in it's place, desparate to kill an Angel and consume it's essence. We had been retreating for years, and the only victories we gained from the conflict were coming back from it alive. Then the Cowards came, proclaiming they had found a way to make us stronger. To turn the tide against the Demons."
"We were desparate enough to believe them. The Demons were almost upon our doorstep, and we had no where else to turn. My daughter, she had just come of age two days ago. Old enough to be sent to the War front. She was so proud, so eager to do what she could to fight against those that had taken her mother and threatened her home. She was the first to volunteer. I was there when they injected her with the substance. It felt wrong. It's essence was Demonic, but suppressed. I should have stopped it as soon as I felt the wrongness in the substance, but I didn't, because I still trusted the Cowards."
"For the first few weeks, she was fine. No notable change, she was just normal. She survived her first conflicts, I made sure of that, and she served Heaven to the best of her ability. I had never been prouder, never been happier. Three days before the Fleshshaper's monstrosity reached the Heaven's Gate, she began to change. To sicken. Her wings darkened, and she began to puke a black liquid. It grew worse and worse, and when I confronted the Cowards they told me they had made a mistake. It was a Demonic Parasite that they thought would help us. Obviously, they were wrong. Before I could kill them, the Fleshshaper's construct arrived at the gates."
"We managed to slow the creature, but not stop him. The Cowards were being held accountable for their claims. They needed a scape goat. My daughter's wings were now black, and she was nearly unable to move by herself. So they used her. Claimed her wings had blackened because of the betrayal she had done, helping the Demons get that monster to the Gate. They dragged her before a mob." Lucien's voice, soft grief filled while he spoke, suddenly turned hard and hate infused every word, every syllabel. "They dragged her in front of a mob that tore and spat at her. They made me watch. They claimed she deserved no trial because of her sin. Then they took a sword and decapitated her to the roar of the crowd." Lucien's voice broke and his gaze was far away, reliving the scene. The horror, the helplessness, the burning rage and hate. The betrayal.
Shaking his head, he returned his gaze to Hazumi. "Minutes aftewards, the Fleshshapers monster broke the gate. Everyone panicked and tried to stop the Demons from flooding in to the opening. In the chaos, I was left unguarded. In the chaos I found the Coward who killed my daughter, and I killed him." Lucien's voice took on a fierce pleasure and satisfaction. "He was the only Angel to not die by a Demon's hand that day. The survivors scattered to the human world as Heaven burned."
"The Cowards perfected their formula there. They got to mind control the newest generation. Black wings, sin of their forefathers. It was disgusting, and I was sealed in onyx and unable to stop them. They created Dark Wings. They claimed it was sin that they had to wash off.." Lucien gave a laugh. It was a harsh sound. "Their own sin, perhaps." He stared at Hazumi for a few more moments before speaking again.
"You asked what I fight for? I fight for vengeance. I fight for death. They will die, and I will die. There is no place for us left in this world. It is your kind that this world belongs to, and we should not be ruling you like the Gods. It used to be that I fought for peace, for balance. I respected the Demons, and acknowledged their need for existence same as ours. Even during the war, I pushed for pursuing peace. Obviously, that changed when they ransacked Heaven and the Cowards killed my daughter."
While she was listening, Hazumi’s face betrayed her growing shock and… sympathy. His words almost seemed to cause her physical pain, making her heart beat faster and her eyes – water. Her breath became even more labored and by the time Lucien spoke of the fate of his daughter tears were already streaming down her cheeks. Clutching her chest she tried to ease the pain in her heart that felt like she was dying herself and the only thing that could save her was holding another being close or being held herself.
But Lucien didn’t stop talking. He continued and he destroyed all she knew about her sins and her duties and then… then came the worst part. Then he said the fate of the world lie in the hands of the likes of her. And his words gripped her throat tight and squeezed all air out of her. And he told her he wouldn’t stop destroying until everything she knew was gone, and that was a mission she couldn’t follow him in.
Beside Lucien the second dark angel in the room placed a hand on his arm in a gentle, reassuring gesture. Lucien’s daughter looked up to him with a smile and kissed his cheek. As she removed both her lips and her hand from him her figure slowly grew, the wings and smile slowly disappearing, replaced by the sight of an unfamiliar demon.
“I’m sorry for your daughter. But this was the last time. I won’t take her image again.”
Hazumi took a deep breath and lifted her head to stare at the opposite wall.
"Sorry for your daughter." She repeated. "And thank you."
He could tell he had made an impression, and could only hope it was enough. He hadn't wanted to cause suffering, which was why he had given her a choice. But truth was often not the easiest thing to bear, and it often caused pain.
"Sorry won't bring her back. Neither will their deaths. But they deserve to die for their crimes. And I will make sure of it." He stood, wiping away the tears that had gathered in his eyes when Azel had granted him a final favor from his daughter. Some Demons didn't deserve to die. Very few, and Lucien had only met one before now. This would make two.
"I can't tell you what to fight for. Only you can decide that. But I can tell you, that whatever you chose, you'd best believe in it with all you have. Because someday, it may be all you have left." He glanced at her beaten and battered form, once more in control of himself. "Now, I assume you've healed enough to stop bleeding, and you can make it to the bed. Something tells me that a cold floor isn't doing wonders for your malfunctioning health."
Hazumi nodded.
“Go out. I’ll shower first.”
And just like that the moment was over and reality caught up to this unusual bubble it had somehow left behind. Whether the void of the burst bubble would leave a scar, only time would tell.
Outside the bathroom Azel hesitated and shifted uncertainly in place. It didn’t seem right to pretend this all never happened. But it also felt wrong to talk about it.
“Would you like me to leave?” He asked simply.
Hazumi didn’t usually return home before dusk but in her current state even she realized it was the wise thing to do. There were still hours to go before the sun came up when she landed on the rooftop, this time too tired to stretch or do anything else. In fact, even the flight here had felt like an agonizing eternity – the wounds weren’t healing properly and the mysterious hunger from before was threatening to resurface.
What’s wrong with me? the angel wondered with a sigh as she sat down and let her eyes roam over the city. It was unusually quiet, no crime or violence screaming to make itself noticed. It was too calm somehow, in a way that spelled upcoming disaster… But of what kind? Would it mean too much work… or too little? Her hands were itching to taste blood but there was nothing worth killing for. Hazumi bit her lip and tried to reject the idea of once again losing her purpose.
She got to her feet and staggered back to the apartment where her almost-splitting image opened the door. Both of them took a surprised step back – her because she still wasn’t used to seeing her own self staring back at her, and him, because of the state of her beaten body. After a second elapsed they both silently nodded at each other and Azel took a few steps back, his fake wings catching on the light-fixture and causing a curse. A smile touched Hazumi’s lips at the familiarity of that feeling. Taking a rugged breath she stepped into the bathroom and sat on the closed toilet, leaning her back on the cold tile. She heard Azel alerting Lucien of her return and tried to clear her throat enough to speak. The action caused the rupture to soak her shirt with more blood so she pressed her hand against her broken throat before she tried to speak again.
“Guys?” She called, her voice strangely faltering. “Could you come over, please?”
Lucien was sharpening his blade. There was something coming. He could feel it. Just like it was in the days before heaven's gate fell. War. Death. Catastrophe. There would be blood and death. That much is certain. Lucien grinned. "I hope your sheep are ready for it, Cowards. Because true Demons are knocking on the door.." He said aloud, apparently speaking to the Council. Several good things would come from the chaos, that much was certain. He heard the door opening, and glanced over expectantly. The nightly ritual hadn't stopped, even when it was revealed that the Cowards had been lying to and manipulating her for their own purposes.
His dau-the Demon came first. Lucien's face flickered with grief, and then it was gone, back into his usual mask of repressed violence. It was a constant battle, to remind himself that it wasn't his daughter, walking and breathing again. It did nothing to improve his opinion of the demon, but he had to admit it's effectiveness. The Demon was still breathing when it should be killed and rotting by now. Didn't make it any less annoying, but it served the purpose of keeping the Demon alive, certainly. As Azel began to speak, likely to alert him of the obvious, Hazumi called out. Something was wrong.
Lucien stood quickly, brushing past the Demon, and opened the door tot he bathroom. At a glance he took in the damage. "What happened?"
"Maulrnuk..." Hazumi said simply and swallowed which made her frown. "But... something is wrong."
Azel poked his head in the bathroom and his mouth quivered into an unbelieving smile.
"Are we seriously having a conversation in the bathroom?"
"I'm still bleeding." Hazumi explained with a frown. "I'd get the carpet dirty. I barely managed to get out the stains Lucien created yesterday."
"Right. Well, I'll go read--"
"No. Stay." Hazumi asked and leaned her head on her knee with a sigh. "I need advise. I need to know what I'm fighting for. I need to know what you guys fight for."
Azel jumped the opportunity to talk first - he knew once Lucien started his opinion would be as good as non-existent.
"Survival. But if I had your guys' power, I'd fight for peace. I'd try to protect the weaklings such as myself and allow them to leave their own trail in this world."
Hazumi stared at him with a puzzled look.
"I thought you demons preyed on the weak."
"A biological need is not the same as an ideological desire. Death will always exist, I just wish I could tip the balance enough to give everyone an opportunity to live, not just the strongest ones. Like in the human world - something you two wouldn't know enough about."
"What do you mean?"
"Humans are almost identical phycisally. Sure, they still find ways to prey on each other but they're much closer to equality than any of us."
Hazumi didn't say anything but it was obvious she was trying to comprehend the idea of humans being worthy of respect.
Ah. Maulrnuks. Nasty little bastards. As Hazumi explained to Azel about the reasons she had decided to have this conversation in the bathroom, Lucien wisely decided not to pursue the subject of how it was just a carpet and she was bleeding. Some things were not meant to be understood, and this was clearly one of them. He remained silent as Hazumi asked her question and the Demon leapt in before he could. There was something to what the Demon said. As he finished, Lucien spoke.
"The Demon is right. Out of all of us, the humans have nothing that makes any one of them better than the other biologically. They all suffer from the same weaknesses, the same strengths. Things only begin to change when they change it. As for what I fight for, I'll tell you that when you tell me what is wrong." She had said something was wrong before Azel had stuck his head in there, and she had abruptly changed the subject. He leaned against the wall, sword in hand, waiting expectantly.
Hazumi's eyes slid up to meet Lucien's and she stared at him as if he had the pieces necessary for her to form a sentence.
"Something is wrong... with me." She admitted. "With my body and my soul... I don't know what but they're malfunctioning and... not healing properly and... plaguing me with hunger... It feels... strange. But worse than that, I'm not sure that... that what I'm doing is right. If I shouldn't be doing something else." She sighed and leaned her head back on her knee. This was pathetic.
Lucien raised an eyebrow. It was rare for an Angel's healing property, even with the current sheep of the Council, to not work. And strange hunger? It was odd, to say the least. "Hunger for what, exactly?" The unsureness could be dealt with easily enough later. The failing of the things in combat that are keeping her alive, that was a bit more complicated to deal with. And who knows? Maybe(as impossible as it was) she was hungry for demon flesh and he could solve that problem quite quickly. Lucien glanced briefly at Azel at the thought, smirking slightly.
Hazumi didn't look up at him this time and she kept silent for slightly longer than before. Her voice sounded uncertain when she spoke.
"I don't know... All I know is that I want to kill. It doesn't feel right to... it doesn't feel right to come back home so early when I know there's so much to kill out there. But how do I know if they really deserve to die?"
"Well they probably don't." Azel muttered irritably.
Lucien didn't even bother glancing at the demon this time. "Depends on who you're killing. Most humans don't deserve to die. They live normal lives, doing the best they can with what they have. Some, however, are like demons. Evil, they give into the darker sides of their nature. Murders, rapists, child molestors. They deserve to die." Lucien stared at Azel now. "Most demons deserve to die as well. Whether it be simply their nature or personal choice, they cause nothing but death and suffering wherever they go. Humans are playthings to them. Some, very few, don't deserve to die. For whatever reason, they use their powers to help. To Keep the Balance, or to protect, or care for. Very, very few."
Hazumi looked up to Lucien and pinned her eyes on his.
"That... You sound wiser than you did before. You sound more like an Archangel now." She pointed out. "They also say that. But they don't think humans deserve to die at all. But... they told me to kill those humans... Or... could you have been the one who gave me that order?" Something dark appeared in her eyes as she placed the accusation and only spread when she continued. "In order to shake my belief in the Council? In order to make me do your bidding...?"
Lucien's eyes narrowed. "Be very careful. I am many things, most of them flaws, but I am not the type to order the death of innocents just to convince one that she is being blinded and manipulated by the Cowards." He gave a bitter smile, remembering. "They say alot. They said their new weapon would make Angels stronger, make it easier for us to fight against the Demons who were slowly but surely winning the War. We believed them. I believed them. She believed them, and was the first to volunteer. Her death wasn't quick, nor clean. A Demonic parasite, if what they told me was true. Worked too fast, they said. Honorable sacrifice, they said. Then, they turned around and used her as a scape goat for when we lost the war."
"In other words, no. I don't want you to see the truth about them badly enough that I'd convince you to murder humans who didn't deserve to die, even if I possessed that power!"
Hazumi smacked her lips and paused before she finally spoke.
“What happened to her. Tell me more. ...And what happened to you.”
"That," Lucien said softly, "is a very long story. You sure you want me to tell you it?"
Was she? That story could further convince her of the incompetence of the Council and only double her doubts. Then again, hadn't she always wished to be able to know as much about them as she possibly could? Hadn't she wished to be educated and respected for knowledge that went further than demon's anathomy and skills?
And did she really have anything left to lose?
Biting her lip nervously Hazumi nodded.
Lucien was silent for a few moments before beginning. "It was towards the end of the Great War. Hell's forces were marching steadily towards Heaven's gate and there was nothing we could do to stop them. We had lost this war of attrition. When we died, our souls went back to heaven and then were reborn, but we took time to grow into our full strength. When we beat our opponents, our only benefit was knowledge how to kill that type easily, and there was always more, always stronger."
"The Demons, however, when the Demons died, they were reborn and ready to fight within seconds of being reborn. When they beat their opponents, they were one step closer to evolving, to becoming stronger. For everyone we slew, dozens would leap up in it's place, desparate to kill an Angel and consume it's essence. We had been retreating for years, and the only victories we gained from the conflict were coming back from it alive. Then the Cowards came, proclaiming they had found a way to make us stronger. To turn the tide against the Demons."
"We were desparate enough to believe them. The Demons were almost upon our doorstep, and we had no where else to turn. My daughter, she had just come of age two days ago. Old enough to be sent to the War front. She was so proud, so eager to do what she could to fight against those that had taken her mother and threatened her home. She was the first to volunteer. I was there when they injected her with the substance. It felt wrong. It's essence was Demonic, but suppressed. I should have stopped it as soon as I felt the wrongness in the substance, but I didn't, because I still trusted the Cowards."
"For the first few weeks, she was fine. No notable change, she was just normal. She survived her first conflicts, I made sure of that, and she served Heaven to the best of her ability. I had never been prouder, never been happier. Three days before the Fleshshaper's monstrosity reached the Heaven's Gate, she began to change. To sicken. Her wings darkened, and she began to puke a black liquid. It grew worse and worse, and when I confronted the Cowards they told me they had made a mistake. It was a Demonic Parasite that they thought would help us. Obviously, they were wrong. Before I could kill them, the Fleshshaper's construct arrived at the gates."
"We managed to slow the creature, but not stop him. The Cowards were being held accountable for their claims. They needed a scape goat. My daughter's wings were now black, and she was nearly unable to move by herself. So they used her. Claimed her wings had blackened because of the betrayal she had done, helping the Demons get that monster to the Gate. They dragged her before a mob." Lucien's voice, soft grief filled while he spoke, suddenly turned hard and hate infused every word, every syllabel. "They dragged her in front of a mob that tore and spat at her. They made me watch. They claimed she deserved no trial because of her sin. Then they took a sword and decapitated her to the roar of the crowd." Lucien's voice broke and his gaze was far away, reliving the scene. The horror, the helplessness, the burning rage and hate. The betrayal.
Shaking his head, he returned his gaze to Hazumi. "Minutes aftewards, the Fleshshapers monster broke the gate. Everyone panicked and tried to stop the Demons from flooding in to the opening. In the chaos, I was left unguarded. In the chaos I found the Coward who killed my daughter, and I killed him." Lucien's voice took on a fierce pleasure and satisfaction. "He was the only Angel to not die by a Demon's hand that day. The survivors scattered to the human world as Heaven burned."
"The Cowards perfected their formula there. They got to mind control the newest generation. Black wings, sin of their forefathers. It was disgusting, and I was sealed in onyx and unable to stop them. They created Dark Wings. They claimed it was sin that they had to wash off.." Lucien gave a laugh. It was a harsh sound. "Their own sin, perhaps." He stared at Hazumi for a few more moments before speaking again.
"You asked what I fight for? I fight for vengeance. I fight for death. They will die, and I will die. There is no place for us left in this world. It is your kind that this world belongs to, and we should not be ruling you like the Gods. It used to be that I fought for peace, for balance. I respected the Demons, and acknowledged their need for existence same as ours. Even during the war, I pushed for pursuing peace. Obviously, that changed when they ransacked Heaven and the Cowards killed my daughter."
While she was listening, Hazumi’s face betrayed her growing shock and… sympathy. His words almost seemed to cause her physical pain, making her heart beat faster and her eyes – water. Her breath became even more labored and by the time Lucien spoke of the fate of his daughter tears were already streaming down her cheeks. Clutching her chest she tried to ease the pain in her heart that felt like she was dying herself and the only thing that could save her was holding another being close or being held herself.
But Lucien didn’t stop talking. He continued and he destroyed all she knew about her sins and her duties and then… then came the worst part. Then he said the fate of the world lie in the hands of the likes of her. And his words gripped her throat tight and squeezed all air out of her. And he told her he wouldn’t stop destroying until everything she knew was gone, and that was a mission she couldn’t follow him in.
Beside Lucien the second dark angel in the room placed a hand on his arm in a gentle, reassuring gesture. Lucien’s daughter looked up to him with a smile and kissed his cheek. As she removed both her lips and her hand from him her figure slowly grew, the wings and smile slowly disappearing, replaced by the sight of an unfamiliar demon.
“I’m sorry for your daughter. But this was the last time. I won’t take her image again.”
Hazumi took a deep breath and lifted her head to stare at the opposite wall.
"Sorry for your daughter." She repeated. "And thank you."
He could tell he had made an impression, and could only hope it was enough. He hadn't wanted to cause suffering, which was why he had given her a choice. But truth was often not the easiest thing to bear, and it often caused pain.
"Sorry won't bring her back. Neither will their deaths. But they deserve to die for their crimes. And I will make sure of it." He stood, wiping away the tears that had gathered in his eyes when Azel had granted him a final favor from his daughter. Some Demons didn't deserve to die. Very few, and Lucien had only met one before now. This would make two.
"I can't tell you what to fight for. Only you can decide that. But I can tell you, that whatever you chose, you'd best believe in it with all you have. Because someday, it may be all you have left." He glanced at her beaten and battered form, once more in control of himself. "Now, I assume you've healed enough to stop bleeding, and you can make it to the bed. Something tells me that a cold floor isn't doing wonders for your malfunctioning health."
Hazumi nodded.
“Go out. I’ll shower first.”
And just like that the moment was over and reality caught up to this unusual bubble it had somehow left behind. Whether the void of the burst bubble would leave a scar, only time would tell.
Outside the bathroom Azel hesitated and shifted uncertainly in place. It didn’t seem right to pretend this all never happened. But it also felt wrong to talk about it.
“Would you like me to leave?” He asked simply.
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