The Grave of the Lost Beloved (Gracie)

OoC: And here we go...

BiC:

The grave you seek cannot be found where the Bloodsword took your life. Only know that there will you find your salvation

Elrick stood silently over the cliff, watching over the small port of Ezila. Despite the years that had gone by, Elrick could see that the port was still thriving even after the millenniums that had passed since he had been there. "I remember this place," he muttered, bringing a gloved hand to his chin. His blue eyes stared down towards the town, seeing the people come and go. It must be nice...to be fully human, he thought, standing upright.

He blew the long blond hair out of his face once, before reaching down to don the black cloak he normally wore while in places of civilization.. It covered his red armor and dark blue jeans, and even the giant blade on his back, the Bloodsword. He placed the cloak on, and made his way down the cliff towards Ezila. He placed the hood on himself, covering his face and the dark hilt of his mammoth sword. "I must conceal myself at all costs, no one can know that I am here."

He lowered his gloved hands towards the cliff's surface, and began to scale downwards, careful not to draw attention to himself. It was a long way, but short for him. He felt the magic inside him, supporting him as he made his way downwards. It wasn't long before he found his way down near the town.

"Kenjin said I should start near the home of my birth," Elrick said to himself. "But I don't even know if my town still thrives, even after all this time. The fact that Ezila is still here is amazing to me." He walked through the streets with a limp, an act he had learned to resemble a cripple. Few people noticed cripples.

He hunched his back, making it seem that the Bloodsword's hilt was just an extension of his back. He hobbled down through the streets, searching for the nearest library. If he could find records of the time he had spent dead, he might be able to locate what had happened. Where she was.

***

"History from ancient time," a librarian, a small woman with a shriveled face, answered. "Left, and then on the last three shelves."

"Thank you," Elrick replied, coughing as he did, and wobbled over to the annals, where the ancient history was located. He passed through different shelves of study, before coming to the time period he believed himself to be from. He smiled under his hood, grasping at a massive volume on one of the lower shelves, and pulled the faded book towards the nearest table, opening the cracking and broken pages.

He searched through the volume, before coming towards what he was looking for. He might have saved the world from the terrors of Drake, but his name was never preserved in history for people to remember.

In the ancient times of man, there were many swords of demonic fury and malice. One above all others, the demon sword of Blood, the simply named Bloodsword, was out of all the most feared, and most deadly. The sword, created by a million demons pouring their might together, was created to give the true wielder the powers of blood manipulation, holding power to control the flow and movement of blood within a body, even his own. This legend could only come to pass when the steel of the blade had drunk the blood of a million victims.

~~~~

Drake, demon of the Blood, is the last know possessor of the demon sword. He slaughtered countless people, always nearing closer to the millionth blood to be taken. Then he came to a village in the mountains, seeking the final victims needed to enact his fiendish plan to be infused with the power of the Bloodsword. While there, the millionth victim was realized, and the sword was lost in the chronicles of time.

"They forgot my name when they made history then," Elrick muttered, though he always knew it was that way. Many children had been taught the ghost story of the Bloodsword, and what it looked like. They were never taught his name, and how saddening his tale was. "I had better be moving," he muttered, standing up and carefully closing the ancient book. "This place knows less about my past then I do."

He went back, returning to book to the shelf, before stumbling outside into the night's air, feeling the breeze from under his cloak, and made his way towards the north, to see something. He heard his footsteps echo from the cobblestone below them and sighed. I remember still, when me and she used to come down here from the village. Maybe it is still there, even after all this time.

He turned a corner, almost brushing against a fellow on the street, who ignored his attempt at making way, and continued with a glance towards the old place, where he was supposed to have gone that day. His face showed a small smile under the hood. Even after all the ages, this had not changed.

***

Elrick entered the cathedral with reverence, though knowing he was not actually supposed to be inside the holy building. He opened the golden doors and headed in. It was not the day of worship, but he went in anyway. He preferred to be alone in any case, there were not many that would take company with a monster like him.

He made his way through the pews, seeing a few old timers sitting scattered through them, praying for guidance. He was the oldest of them all though, and didn't look towards them. A few muttered at their neighbors, some claiming demon. Elrick ignored them, and walked towards a man working there.

"Hello my good sir," the monk said as he made his way towards the bald man. "How might I be of service?"

"Could you direct me to the confessional?" Elrick asked, ever since his encounter with the Soul Eater, and its wielder Tanith, he had made an effort to at least find some form of comfort in religion. The monk smiled, and pointed to the box Elrick had not noticed in the far left corner of the church.

"Over there sir," the monk replied. Elrick bowed and headed over to the light red booth, closing the light doors over the seat and settling down. He could hear faint breathing from the other side, and muttered, "Forgive me sir, for I have sinned."

"What is it you wish to confess?" the priest behind the blinds asked.

"I do not think I should be here," Elrick muttered, bowing his head under his cloak. "But I just wanted to speak to someone. This has been the first time in a long time I have come to this cathedral."

"I have never seen you here before," the priest replied. "What leads you to believe that you once came here?"

"I once lived in a nearby village here," Elrick replied, crossing his hands. "I come from the neighboring village of Zegre-Arc, in the mountains."

The priest laughed. "Forgive me, but that village has long since been considered a place of evil, and was long ago abandoned in the times of the demon swords. How can you come from that cursed village where Drake, demon of Blood, gained his powers?"

Elrick did not answer for a moment. "I am afraid that history has spawned a lie about me," he said carefully. "You see, the demon of Blood was not Drake. I was the one sealed with the power of the sword. I awoke four years ago and have been wandering since that day."

"You are Drake the demon of Blood?" the priest asked, Elrick hearing him standing upright inside the confession.

"No, I-"

"DEMON!" shouted the voice, bolting through the confessional. "THE DEMON OF BLOOD IS UPON OUR TOWN!" The door broke open as the man dashed out to warn everyone in the church, frantic and terrified.

Elrick sighed, hearing from inside the booth as people began to run in all forms of disorder, rushing through the arc in the door into the streets of Ezila. He opened the door, and found himself surrounded by several monks, at least ten.

“Halt demon,” the priest commanded, standing in front of the monks. “You shall not harm the innocent people of the town.”

“Please allow me to leave you in peace,” Elrick muttered dully, closing the door behind him to the confessional. “I do not wish you to be hurt by me.”

“How is it that you are able to stand on sacred ground such as this demon?” the priest asked. “Normal demons would die from contact from a single stone on the floor.”

“I was here before, before I became-” he stopped to look down at himself, “-this. Before then, the priest of this temple of worship allowed me to enter your monastery. To marry.” He turned and began to make his way outside of the cathedral, but was stopped by a holy staff.

“You shall not go into that town,” the monk wielding it threatened. “I will not allow it demon.”

“I am no demon spawn,” Elrick replied. “That staff will not work on me, now let me alone. I wished to find comfort here in this temple, where all people are judged alike, but it seemed even the heavens themselves have turned their backs upon me.” He raised his hands, and felt their blood within his grasp.

The monks cried out in surprise as they were lifted off the ground, and Elrick made his way outside of the doors, closing them gently, before releasing the monks from his spell. He replaced the cover on his hood, and made his way down the steps and towards a tavern he had seen on the way over.

The monks burst out of the chapel, but found that the man in the cloak was long gone. “Sound the alarm,” the priest breathed. “The people must know that the demon is real, and is here.”

***

“Give me some ale,” Elrick muttered in a throaty voice, shoving some coins in the direction of the barkeep.

“Aye,” the man replied through his gums, handing him a massive tankard. Elrick took the drink and began to drink under his hood, satisfied at the drink’s amber contents. He flitted under the hood, scanning the room for anyone he might know or might have difficulty with. And then his mouth dropped, as he noticed someone that knew him very well, and would strike him dead if she knew he was in the room. It was fortunate he was wearing his disguise.

Nenet, that woman of Gorin’s, was in the bar too. And the priest was bursting through the door.

OoC: Wonderful. This will be fun.

Nice bit of writing you have there, too, Power Shot-Daddy!

BiC:

Ah, Ezila. Wonderful, peaceful, Ezila. With its flowing breezes, swirling leaves, and—

And redhead pirate women!?

Oh, my mistake. These redheaded pirate women—or rather, this redhead pirate woman—was the most peculiar sight any Ezlians had ever set their sights upon. Her attire was so… odd… different… and downright strange. Not that this woman, Nenet, cared. Strolling through the streets with a noteworthy air of manner, Nenet chuckled to herself as she received an influx of stares. Attention of any kind, unlike massive amounts of others, was something Nenet enjoyed.

In pursue of adventure, this young woman had stumbled upon the humble town of Ezila. Intrigued by the colossal amounts of people parading around, she quickly made a decision to drop by and visit. And, as she did all other places, went in search of the local bar first.

“Go down Ark Street, then where it and Deacon Boulevard meets, the bar should reside. I haven’t been there in a while, but that’s what I remember.” commented the scraggly man she had asked for directions. She had found him on the sidewalk, shuffling along. Hey, asking someone is better than no one!

So she arrived, coming to a run-down looking place with a broken pane of glass on a window to her left. Beyond that, she could see a long counter, with men and women of all ages, lazily slumped over on a bar stool. On the other side were the skinny women bartenders, as well as the burly men with no teeth—only gums. The old wooden floorboards squeaked incessantly as she shuffled across the small half-a-foot porch that fanned out in front of the building.

As soon as she thrust open the aged door, the smell of what could have possibly been one-thousand shots of liquors penetrated her nose. She ignored the stench—it didn’t bother her anymore. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she observed the place. The bar seemed to be dark and dank, and smelled powerfully of mildew. Rubbing her nose for a moment, Nenet began to stride towards the counter, when a man… a man you would not expect to actually see in a bar… slammed the door open.

“DEMON! THE DEMON OF BLOOD IS UPON OUR TOWN!”

Nenet stopped dead in her tracks, whipping around. The man, a priest, had burst through the door in an attire of silver-white robes with a slightly brown hem, most likely from running all the way from the church she had passed a mile away, to the bar, where she was currently. As the words sputtered and spouted out of the priest’s mouth like an unblocked drain, astonished cries burst out into the open, and glasses were shattered. A man moaned in pain on the floor, with a large glass shard jammed into his shin. Nenet winced, knowing it must hurt.

Along with that, many of the men and women sprang up, boisterously bellowing commands, ideas, and questions. Before the priest had the slightest chance to comment more on what he had shouted, he was practically run over by a stampede composed of everyone in the bar, except for Nenet.

Wait—except for Nenet and a man that still sat calmly on a bar stool, that was. As soon as the bar was cleared, Nenet saw that the priest was gone. She turned around—the man was still there.

She carefully and slowly continued her tread to the bar, and sat down two torn-red-seats away. “Why did you not dash out with that horde?”

The figure simply lifted his glass of ale into the air, appearing to take a swig of it. Then, his throat cleared, and he said in a deep voice, “I ask the same of you, woman.”

Nenet snorted at his remark. “Unlike those drunken fools, I am no idiot. Priests always make big deals of things that are not. If they do not, they twist the story around, distorting it and turning it into a tale of evil. I don’t trust them.”

There was another silent pause, when the figure deep voice grumbled, “I concur.” He placed his tankard down harshly onto the counter, and let out a gasp of satisfied thirst.

Nenet couldn’t stand the silence. “Why do you wear that hood?”

The hooded figured twisted his head towards her slightly, though his face remained concealed. “What’s it matter to you? You have no reason to know. Why do you ask so many questions?”

Ouch. Honestly, Nenet was just talkative. But she knew he wouldn’t accept it. “…I like meeting new people. And I can’t stand silence… as for the hood question; it was just out of curiosity. I wasn’t trying to say it looked stupid, or trying to make you take it off or anything—”

“Good.”

Another question of annoyance, and it flew out of Nenet’s mouth rather quickly: “Who do you happen to be?”

Another sigh. “You think I would tell you, when I won’t even tell you why I have a hood? Think, woman, think. I shall not be telling you who I am for quite a long while, if not ever.”

Rolling her eyes, Nenet crossed her arms and stared at him. “Well, gee! What did I ever do to piss you off!?”

“It’s not you. It’s me.”

“Right. Now, tell me who you are or take of that hood. I demand.”

“Who are you to tell me what to do!?” he practically shouted, brining his veiled face inches from hers while slamming his closed and clenched fist against the counter.

“I told you to tell me who you are, dammit.”

“Fine. I’ll tell you why I won’t. Because if I do, you’ll try to kill me. And I’m not in a murderous mood right now.” he stated with a malefic growl, narrowing his eyes (though Nenet couldn’t see).

“I’ll try to kill you, eh? And you say that you’re not in a murderous mood? What’s that implying?” she boomed in a demanding voice, prodding him in the side. She stood up off her bar stool, with an angry look plastered on her face.

“I’m implying that you wouldn’t win, and that you’d die.”

“Psh. Whatever! You’ll do no such thing. Though, you will take off that hood and tell me your name. Because unlike you, I’m feeling extremely murderous.” she lashed outwards, words stinging. No, she was not feeling murderous. Ever heard of ‘intimidation’? Well, that’s beside the point. Nenet lunged for his hood, attempting to drag it off. He grabbed her wrist with firm hands, and squeezed hard.

“Let… go…” she mumbled, deeply immersed in struggle.

"Have I made my point to you?" Elrick asked in his harsh voice the maiden. "I do not have time to deal with you. Didn't you hear, the demon of Blood is loose in this town, and you'd do best to heed that warning. The last I read of the myth, the demon is supposed to be rather...evil."

"Demon of Blood?" Nenet asked. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! It must be a small fairy tale children tell to scare one another." She twisted her hand from his grasp, then made another move for his hood. He brought up a hand, blocking her again.

"No, inconceted youth," the hooded man replied, taking a step back. "I have no desire to face weaklings like you. I must leave, before the demon of Blood is found. The townspeople will not take kindly to him, for they revere Drake as an evil man." He blocked her arm once again. "Give it up, I have no quarrel with you."

But Nenet was persistant, always setting her mind after something. "Show me your face," she commanded, reaching for it again.

"I have business elsewhere Nenet," Elrick growled, hobbling away from her. "I am busy looking for something." He cursed himself. Should not have said her name, he thought, blocking her hand once more.

"How do you know my name?" she asked. "Who are you?"

"I said this once more, if I tell you that, you will try and kill me, and I do not feel like dueling with you once more," Elrick muttered, limping away from her, trying to get away and maintain his disguise. Doors burst open, and Nenet and the hooded man turned together to see an angry mob staring straight in their faces. At the head was the monk with the holy staff, staring directly at the hooded man.

"It's the demon!" the monk shouted, pointing at Elrick's hooded form. "The demon of Blood!" Then he turned to Nenet, staring at her strange clothing."And his mistress!" The mob shouted in unison.

Nenet and the hooded man stared at each other in disbelief. Nenet was taller then Elrick, for his was hunched over pretending to be cripple. "Are you kidding me?" she exclaimed, turning to the mob. "ME...and THIS thing? Is this a joke?"

Elrick was almost ready to laugh, had the situation not been so life threatening. "You insult me monk," he muttered. "I can get ten times better then this thing," he said with a chuckle, opening his arms in jest. "Do you honestly think I would be seen with such a thing?"

Nenet's face turned crimson as blood began to slowly rise to her head from the insults. "That's it," she growled, grabbing at the hood in anger. "WHO ARE YOU?" She grasped the hood before he could stop her, and yanked the thing back.

The hood came off, as the figure straightened. He was clad with light red armor, and the cripple's hump fell back to reveal a massive sword as big as the man itself. Nenet stood in shock as Elrick of Red straightened his handsome face, and turned to the crowd of people. "Nice Nenet," he muttered, loosening his guantlets lightly. "You just had to make a scene, and send all these people in here. I was planning on making my getaway, but now things are changed."

"You," she hissed, remembering their last encounter, when he had spied upon her form in the hot springs. "I am going to finish what I started last time," she growled, her hand reaching for her blade.

"For once Nenet, hold your tongue," Elrick answered, walking up towards the group of people. To the pubic, he addressed, "Okay, how is this going to happen?" he asked politely, spreading his hands. "Will you allow me to leave the town peacefully as I came, or shall I have to make you float once more monk?"

"What about the girl?" the monk asked.

"Oh, you may do whatever you please with her," Elrick murmured, putting his hands behind his back. "Only please be gentle, you see, she has a rather frail form underneath all of that clothing. Very fragile." He grinned towards her, only making her redder.

"Elrick, I am going to-"

"NOW!" Elrick spoke over her threat, as the blood he had been generating began to take hold, spanning outwards towards the crowds of people. The red liquid sank into their clothing, lifting them above the reach of gravity. The people screamed, some throwing their weapons, but Elrick dodged them all. "Now then, for the final time, I am not Drake the demon of Blood. I am Elrick of Red!"

Without waiting for her permission, Elrick grabbed Nenet's hand and forced her out the door with him. "Let me go pervert!" Nenet exclaimed, pulling her arm back, and stopping Elrick in the streets.

"Nenet, you have two choices here," Elrick answered, as the blood from the tavern mob began to return to him. "One, you can accept the fact that I just saved your skin from the overpowering strength of a mob and come with me. Two, you can not take my offer and find your own way out. The choice is yours."

He held out an arm, as the people began to regain their bearing and call for reinforcements.

The fierceness of a million demons burned within Nenet’s eyes. Both choices were the last things she wanted to do. This Elrick man—she had had enough of him for a lifetime. But yet, she may not have a good chance at demolishing an entire mob.

“You, Elrick of Red, are the last person I want to travel with. Yet, this is not a weak mob and because of you they have assumed wrong of me. I shall be going with you, but any more of your perverted ways, and you shall depart this life by my own hands!” she stated, eyes narrow and unsure if this was what she really meant. Reaching upwards, she scratched at her ear in contemplation and it fell as she was jerked away by Elrick. He had bulky hands firmly gripped around her thin wrist, dragging her through the dust-plated streets.

“Ugh! I can run by myself, thank you very much.” she complained with a smug expression. Nenet yanked herself out of his grasp and massaged her wrist with her other hand. “If I’m going to go with you, then you will treat me like an equal, not a subordinate.”

Elrick gave no answer. Nenet looked up with an inquiring look on her face, and was instantly drawn to realize that Elrick was gaping in horror. No more than 50 feet behind them ran a mob that could have been well over one hundred members large. Before she had a chance to react, Elrick whipped around ferociously and slammed her hard in the back, causing the pirate to grunt. “Go!”

In a split-second they were fleeing down the road like the mouse running from the cat. Their strides were wider than ever, and loose clothing rippled heavily against the wind, as well as Nenet’s longer hair. Feet thumped against the cobblestone road, and smells of burning wood wafted into their noses, which emanated from the torches the mass carried. Blurs and clumps of colors from their surroundings whizzed past, while the two only focused on what was ahead of them as well as the being beside them. Breaths came in shaky and jerky rhythms. The mob was advancing.

“Nenet!”

Oh, how short attention span could be painful.

Without realizing that Elrick had stopped five feet behind her, she ran smack into the muscled chest of a mob member that had been at the other end of the street. Coming to an abrupt stop, Nenet took slow and cautious steps backwards.

Elrick buried his face in his hands, sighing deeply. Why did he have to have such an idiotic partner? Wait—why should he even consider her his partner? She was just running from the mob with him, due to its unfortunate impression of her.

They were trapped. Mobs stood on either side of the pair, with vicious and cruel stares upon their faces. In her mind, Nenet winced as she and Elrick shuffled backwards, facing each other back-to-back. Elrick cursed under his breath, and Nenet nodded to herself in agreement.

Stepping forth from each mass was a priest. Stern looks plagued their statures, as their coarse and rough voices vibrated through the air when their thin lips spread. “You, demon, shall parish here. This street will be known as the place where the most notorious demon has fallen, and it will be plagued. We will be rid of you, and your—your… partner.”

The one who stood before Elrick gazed down upon him with cold eyes, as if the gaze itself was attempting to strangle Elrick. Shivering, Elrick wondered to himself why this priest had such a bitter and malevolent aura. Though, it may have been that Elrick was not necessarily on the good side, and that the priest seemed to be on the ‘bad’ side.

It was not just Elrick, though. Nenet felt it too.

"Prepare to meet your sinful maker, demon of Blood," the priest stated, as the monks held the holy staffs upwards, in preparation of battle. "Enjoy your stay in the underworld."

Elrick grunted in annoyance at the monk's blindness. "Listen old man," he muttered, as the mob began to draw ever closer. "Just because I guard a demon sword does not give you the right to simply kill me and and woman here. How many times to I have to say that I am not Drake, but Elrick. Is it that hard to believe I might be right? So far, the only people preparing to kill anyone is you and your town."

"Silence demon," the priest replied, heading closer towards them. "Enjoy your visit to the kingdom of hell, and may you never return to life again!" The crowd cheered behind the priest, growling at the man and his partner.

"This is the part where Chronos breaks everything," Elrick muttered, thinking rapidly despite the large amounts of pitchforks and torches that seemed to be a repeating moment in his life, almost every angry mob carried them for some reason. "I need a way out."

"Think you could hurry that up?" Nenet asked, noticing the bloodthirsty look in the eyes of the townsfolk. "Can't you just levitate them like you did last time?"

Elrick shook his head. "There are too many." His back was pressed against hers, the mob was coming closer to them. He looked up, and a thought came to his head, a plan worthy of the Encorna. "Nenet, how do you feel about heights?" he asked suddenly, his eyes closing.

"What are you talking about?" Nenet asked back, turning her head slightly to see what he was up to.

"The next time I grasp your hand woman, I suggest you accept it," Elrick muttered, calling forth his dormant power. The blood regulating about his body began to change direction, forming into a power he would be able to use.

"Any last words demons?" the priest asked, the points of the staffs lowering.

"Just one," Elrick replied, taking hold of Nenet's hand one more time, feeling her fingers through his gauntlets. The circles in his palms brushed against hers, he kept a tight grip on her. "Blastoff." He crouched low, before the power of his blood began to overcome even gravity, sending him shooting up into the air, followed by Nenet.

"What are you doing?!" she shouted at him, clinging to the arm for dear life. They floated above the ground, Nenet dangling from the Red like a bracelet. The people began to scream, while the monks and the priest were trying to sort order.

"Saving your hide!" Elrick shouted back, dropping down suddenly to catch her in his arms, making it easier to move. "This way, I can get out of here without hurting them." He looked down at the people of the city in contempt, turning to Nenet. "Human weakness is that they fear what they do not understand."

"Aren't you human as well?" she asked, gripping to him so as not to fall to the concrete streets below the two partners.

"I was once," he replied, turning to the light of the sun. It flashed over his face, bathing him with radiant light. After all the years, the sun never aged either. "I was once."

Silencing Nenet so as to not ruin their escape, Elrick moved the blood within himself, and silently flew off into the sun, away from Ezila. It seemed that after all that time, his church was still there, but the heart he had lost was not.

***

Elrick landed far away from the port, into the forests further north. He found a soft clearing to make his landing. Nenet securely latched onto his body, he made contact with the grass below him, ending the power that lifted his blood slowly so as to not hurt the girl. "We will be safe in these mountains from them," he muttered, looking around the clearing.

Surrounding them were thousands of tall trees, spanning everywhere into a vast forest. Pines towered over them, as high as the town buildings that had just seen. "They will not follow us here, it is considered demon ground by the people in the port of Ezila."

He released his arms, dropping Nenet flat on her butt to the ground. The girl landed instantly, a sharp pain escaping her hind. "You think you could be more gentle with a woman, you inconsiderate pervert!" she shouted, but Elrick had already turned away from her, making his way further into the forests around him. "Hey!" she shouted, tearing through the brush after him. "I'm not finished yelling at you yet!"

He continued to walk, despite her attempts to get his attention.

"Inconsiderate to a lady, entangling me in your demon plot, feeling me up, grabbing my hand," Nenet continued, counting his various offenses from her fingers. "Do I need to go on with what you did the last time?"

Elrick stopped, sighing. He turned towards her, no longer the jolly, perverted self that Nenet knew him to be. His eyes were darker, his face was tired. "One, I was not inconsiderate, I did tell you not to trouble me. Two, that was your fault for insisting my hood come off. Three, I saved you from the mob by carrying you here. Four, again, I was leading you away from the mob."

He turned away, and kept on walking.

Nenet followed, this strange new version of Elrick was interesting. "So why are you going through the forest then?" she asked, though not knowing why.

"I thought you hated everything about me," he muttered, not looking down at her.

"Can't a girl ask a question?" she asked, putting her hands behind her back. "Come on, tell me. You still owe me some answers."

"Where'd you get that idea?" Elrick replied, passing through a dense thicket of trees, pushing away branches from his face.

"You saw me naked. You owe me," was her simple, yet blunt, reply, and Elrick could almost see her face reddening. Their last fight had left an image in Elrick's memory that brought him some joy and amusement.

"I am searching for something," Elrick muttered, stopping at a light clearing ahead of them, taking a seat of a light stub of a tree, discarded from what was most likely woodsmen in the regions nearby. "My old village, where I used to live. Only problem is that I can't really remember where it is. All I remember is the port of Ezila, but anything else was lost."

"Man, you must have a pretty bad memory then," she replied, giggling at her insult.

Elrick turned to her, his eyes full of sadness. "Nenet, do you know how long one million days can last?" He smiled inside as she tried to figure out the precise number, before she gave up after a minute, shaking her head. "It is a long time. After I was transformed, and Drake was destroyed, the village of Zegre-Arc was declared cursed ground, and the annals of time forgot me, and the sacrifice I made that day."

"So, the people in the town were..." Her voice trailed off as she remembered the looks they had given him.

"Yes, I am Drake to every person alive, the dark, evil wielder of the Bloodsword," he replied, looking up at her with the grave eyes he had had since they had arrived in the forest. "No one knows Elrick of Red, the immortal guardian of the most deadly weapon in this world, with the power to annihilate entire mountains at will. I am simply the Red, and I hide underneath my cloak to travel in peace."

He stood up, calm once more. "My life is misery incarnate," he muttered, feeling the length of his giant sword. "This sword is both my curse and destiny Nenet, and I have it as my own to guard." He unsheathed the sword delicately, as Nenet watched the sword she had crossed blades with uncovered from its dormant location in his great, black sheath.

"Do you see this?" he asked, pointing to a small spot in the blade's red surface. She peered down to see it, a light speck that was lighter then the others. "Do you know what this is?" She looked at the small speck, in the direct center of the left side of the sword.

"Is that...your blood?" she asked, touching the surface.

"Yes," Elrick replied nodding. He then turned the blade over, to reveal another small speck, barely noticable to the untrained eye. "And do you know what this is?"

"No," Nenet answered, though it looked similar.

"This is the blood of a person I deeply cared for, and the reason I died that day," he answered, sheathing the sword. "This is the reason I still live, why I am Elrick of Red." He felt the blade slide into place in its sheath.

"Whose is it?"

"A person I deeply cared for," he said only, turning away from her. "The reason I am searching in these mountains. I am looking for that person's grave, trying to find peace with their soul."

OoC: Note, Elrick's beloved's name will not be mentioned, and that's all Nenet will be able to get from him.

OoC: Sorry that took so long. By the way, sorry if it's not that long. I wanted to let you start the journey. (Plus, I needed to practice my dialogue. XD)

BiC:

Fat chance.

The words flashed through her mind like lightning. I mean… c’mon! Whoever this was had to be have been dead… for… a long time. Nenet attempted to hide a taunting laugh, frowning to make her jubilant smile appear as a straight face.

“Who was she?”

Erick’s eyes flashed, fire seeming to glaze on the surface. His fists clenched intensely, creating white and leathery knobs on his knuckles. “I have no pertinent reason to tell you, woman.”

“Woman!? Don’t address me with that connotation, Elrick. You know very well that I am just as capable—of anything—as you are. No need to be so sexist!” retorted Nenet, hands in frenzy with hand motion and eyes strict and fiery. Her arms crossed as she scoffed, glaring at the man.

“In case you have not noticed, that is how I address every lady. Don’t take it so damn personally.” He looked away, and an awkward silence followed.

Suddenly, the words just spilled out of Nenet. “Who was she? Elrick, please tell me! I promise to God, I will not tell anyone who she is if you do, and… and I just want to know! I’ll help you find her, or anything! Thanks to you, though, I’ve got no where to go, so, I might as well go with you. How incon—”

“Nenet. Shut your friggin’ yap. You keep contradicting yourself.”

Nenet whipped around to face him, anger erupting across her rosy-cheeked expression. “Shut my yap! Why you—”

Elrick slapped her.

She glared at him, pride hurt. Nenet knew she could go off on a ramble sometimes, but slapping was really unnecessary. She scratched her temple nervously, shuffling her feet to see if Elrick would assault her again.

“Look, Nenet, I’m sorry. You just don’t seem to realize that you have such a sensitive temper, and that you take everything too personally. Really, just calm down.”

Nenet sighed, and chewed on her thumbnail for a moment, pondering. “I know. It’s just… well… never mind. But I’ve made up my mind, Elrick of Red, and I’m going with you, no matter what.”

Elrick’s eyebrow rose upwards, surprised by her willingness to come along. “Well, I must say, I didn’t see that coming. I would’ve figured you hate my guts right now, after I saw you naked, grabbed your hand, was inconsiderate, entangled you in my demonic doings, felt you up—”

“I do hate you. You can stop listing now.”

“Then why are you coming?”

Nenet looked as if she was just hit in the face. It actually seemed like a reasonable question to her. Why was she coming? She didn’t like him, did she? No. She wouldn’t do that to Gorin. It must have been to prove that fact that she was just as good as he was, and to knock some sense into him.

“So I can knock some sense into you.” she retorted, leaving her voice completely malice-free.

Elrick rolled his eyes. “Sure, whatever you say. Just… don’t get into too much trouble, okay?”

“Yeah, right. What would I do? All you think I can do is clean and cook and do all that ‘woman’ crap, don’t you?”

“Would you shut it?! I’m not a freakin’ sexist, you—” he cut himself off. No need for more fights. “You’d be a great debater.”

Her face immediately brightened up. “You really think so?”

“Of course!” Ah, Elrick adored the way women got distracted when you complimented them, in any way.

“Cool! Maybe I should—”

Elrick glared at her.

“…shutting up now.”

Elrick nodded graciously, and motioned for her to come with him. “C’mon, Nenet, we’re on our way.”

Where was it? he asked himself, feeling the few lingering rays of the sunlight on his face. Night would fall before long, he was eager to depart from the area he had flown them to. Why can't I remember?

"Night's coming on pretty soon," Nenet said, breaking the silence that Elrick had been maintaining. "Think we should find some place to sleep for the night?" She followed him, keeping up with the pace of his long, muscular legs. A light breeze fluttered through the landscape, sending small chills flowing through her body.

Elrick paused, taking out the black cloak he wore. "Here," he muttered, tossing the cloth to her. "Your blood temperature is dropping, you're cold."

"What gave you that-" She stopped arguing, remembering that Elrick did not need to see someone to tell what their blood was doing. "Thanks," she muttered, throwing the cloak over her scantily-clad body.

"Such a shame," Elrick sighed, gaining one last glance at her form before she covered herself. "Oh well, there is always tomorrow I suppose." He suppressed a grin, seeing Nenet's face turn a darker shade of pink in reaction to the statement.

"If you even think of doing that, you lecherous pervert, I swear that there will not be a bone in your body when I finish with you," she threatened, tightening the cloak around her body as the air around her grew colder and colder. What did I ever do to deserve this?

I wonder... Elrick turned back to look at her. Where have I seen her eyes before? Why would the Encorna bring me here, just as he did a month ago when I met Nenet? Am I simply a pawn in Kenjin's game? He sighed, feeling the sword pressing against his back. He had long ago grown accustomed to the massive weight that would make any normal mortal drop the giant blade after a single stroke.

She was so beautiful that day, he thought, following the path the forest seemed to be leading him through. Moonlight was glowing above the two, replacing the face of the sun that had been previously overhead. Why was it destined to end like that? Why did she have to die, and cause me to bring this curse upon myself?

Elrick's been really quiet, Nenet thought, following the path that the big man was forging through the forest, guided by a sense he seemed to know not. I wonder what's going on in his perverted head. She looked down on herself, and closed the cloth he had given her even more closely to her body, just as a precaution. Is he thinking about me?

Where are you? he asked, looking up at the stars above him, slowly beginning to sparkle in the sky. First there was but one, followed by many. Soon the heavens above were filled with twinkling lights. Will I find peace...when I find you?

"What'cha thinking about?" she asked, perking up her head. He hadn't spoken for the entire time they had been walking.

"It is not your concern," he muttered, stopping. Giant trees amassed around them, standing tall and erect. Evergreens of all sizes grew in the forests. "I am following a trail is all." He headed over to one of the larger ones, stopping before its trunk.

"What do you mean, a trail?" she asked, following him over to the tree he had stopped in front of. "What are you-" Elrick's hand came up, putting itself on top of her mouth.

"Just be quiet for a moment," he sighed, pointing with his other hand to the tree. Engraved on the tree were two letters, still cut into the bark of the ancient tree. "This is the trail I mean. The things her and I left behind from the times long gone."

C&E

"I'm...I'm sorry Elrick," she said, looking into the ancient tree. "Was she really precious to you?"

The blood master nodded. "The church where the priest resides, that was where we were to be married. But- sometimes things don't work out the ways we want them," he answered gently, though his face was unhampered by the memory.

She nodded, before something crept up behind her, grabbing her rear. Her heart froze, as she slowly looked down to see a hand clamped firmly around her butt, massaging it. Her anger rose through the boiling point, as she looked to see the hand attached to Elrick, still looking at the tree without the slightest idea of what he was doing.

"HERE'S SOME WORK FOR YOU!" she shouted, unsheathing her sword in an instant. The blunt side came up to strike him across the face, sending him flying into a tree on the other side of the clearing.

Elrick zoomed directly for a thick oak, his head smacking right into it. A loud crack was heard in the distance, as his head collided with the tree. “What was that for?” Elrick asked, holding up a yellow snake, which hissed violently against his grasp.

“You lecher!” Nenet shouted, her eyes turning a deep red. “I drop my guard for a moment and-”

“-this snake crawls on you!” Elrick shouted back, a giant grin on his face. “It was crawling on you, so I removed it.” He dropped the snake to the ground, stamping his feet hard on its body, crushing the life out of the creature. After, he looked up, a leer on his face. “Hey, what was going through your mind when I removed the snake?”

“Nothing!” Nenet shouted, her face turning deep red.

“Something tells me you’re the perverted one here,” Elrick joked, laughing at the situation. Well, at least she’ll be entertaining, that’s for sure, he thought, seeing the red from her eyes head straight for her face and the roots of her hair.

OoC: Heh, it's all right. You've got some new job, can't quite remember what it is at the moment, which may keep you fairly busy. I post fast, but then again, I have way too much free time.

“Something tells me you’re the perverted one here,” Elrick joked, laughing at the situation. Well, at least she’ll be entertaining, that’s for sure, he thought, seeing the red from her eyes head straight for her face and the roots of her hair.

Nenet narrowed her eyes, capturing him in a fierce glare. “Well, what do you know, crazy man?” She stomped on the ground, arms crossed, and lip curled over in a pout.

“…I know lots of things, like what you were probably thinking.” he smirked, a smug look creeping over his face. Turning around, he gazed into the woods, longing for… her. Oh… Chanel…

Memories came flooding back to Elrick of Red, though, the pirate didn’t notice. She was busy kicking around the snake who had tricked her into thinking Elrick had grabbed her butt. Stamping on it heavily, she ground her boot into the ground, flattening a segment of the snake’s body. Satisfied, the triumphant look on her face disappeared when she gazed upon Elrick staring into blank space, as if in a trance.

“…Elrick? Are you… okay?”

She lightly tapped him on the shoulder, and swiveled to face him. A pearly white glaze coated his crystal blue eyes, and Nenet stared incessantly at his… perfect… visage. In the background of his face, she could see his thin blond hair, held high in a ponytail, flapping lightly in the wind. Slowly raising her hand upwards, she cupped her palm and placed it on his cheek, rubbing it lightly with her palm.

Elrick grunted, visibly gulping. “Oh, Ch—” he began to murmur, but Nenet didn’t hear the rest, because a piercing thought struck her like lightning. What the hell are you doing, woman!? Get your hand off of his face! You know VERY well that he’s a perverted little lecher!

Her hand whipped backwards with such force that she stumbled. Okay, now… I’m just going to try to forget this…

However, deep in the mind of Elrick, he did not see Nenet as Nenet, but saw her as Chanel. He began to follow her in a trance-like state, still believing that Nenet was her. About to murmur Chanel’s name again, he was cut off when—

—When Nenet delivered a hard blow to his stomach, fist clenched, white spots on the knuckles. Grunting, Elrick staggered backwards, coming back to his senses.

“’the hell was that for?” Elrick boomed, hands raised in a fake strangle, wanting badly to choke her. Backing into a bush as she continued to walk in reverse, she instinctively brushed her self off as she gulped. “You—you—”

“Stop stuttering! I did nothing to compel you to punch me in the gut, did I?” Anger flared in his eyes, harshly demanding an answer.

“You—you came towards me, and you looked… like… you weren’t really there… as if something else had a hold of your body!”

The name flashed through his mind: Chanel!

Shaking his head, Elrick scratched his temple and immediately relaxed. “Yeah, uh... sorry… I was kind of daydreaming…”

“Sure.”

“No, really!”

Nenet just rolled her eyes, turned back around, and pulled the cloak tighter around her shoulders. “Let’s go—I need a place to rest—it’s nearly full darkness.”

Elrick nodded in compliance, dashing to get in step in front of her, leading the way down a winding, dusty path.

What just happened? he asked himself, following the path carved through the forest. I saw her, but then I saw Nenet. What happened back there? He turned, seeing Nenet's blushing face, before looking once more in front. "Is there a preferred place you would like to stay tonight?" he asked, breaking the awkward quiet that hung around the air around them.

"Somewhere away from you," she muttered, drawing the cloak closer. "Aren't you cold?"

"I can regulate the heat of my blood, I will be fine like this," he replied, raising a hand towards her. "And...there," he muttered, feeling his control over her blood, warming her from the inside.

"What?" she asked, feeling warmer.

"I adjusted your temperature," Elrick said, dropping his arm. "That way, it will be more bearable for you tonight." They stopped as they came towards a cliff. He looked below them, seeing a small smoke coming off in the distance. Mountains towered around them, shooting up beyond the clouds.

"...Thanks," she murmured, the cold around her starting to relax from Elrick's spell. "Think we can make it to that town in the distance?" she asked, pointing to the smoke rising in the air.

"No, not tonight anyway," Elrick muttered, his eyes hardening. "If we try, we can reach it by tomorrow, but we're staying in the forest until then." He turned around, and strode off into the brush of the trees. "Come on, we can camp in here." Nenet followed him, and they returned to the thick trees of the forest.

"How are you planning to camp?" she asked, raising a brow. "You don't have any equipment."

Elrick smiled. "I wouldn't be much of a blood master if I didn't know how to survive a simple night in the forest," he replied, turning back to her. "Hand me that cloak, and I'll make you a bed for the night."

Nenet paused. "Before I give you this, you're going to promise me that nothing is going to happen tonight."

Elrick laughed. "I knew you were thinking perverted thoughts back there," he joked, seeing Nenet's eyes, along with her face, turn deep crimson. "All right, you have my word that I shall be a gentleman tonight." She seemed satisfied, and handed him back the black cloth. He loosened his gauntlets, and dripped a few drops of red liquid on the edges.

"Here we go." The cloak leapt from his hands, and flew in between two strong trunks, tying itself into a firm hammock, large enough for Nenet to lie comfortable. "Enjoy tonight," he muttered, as the drops of blood returned to him, having done their job.

"What about you?" she asked, walking over to the hammock, testing its durability. It did not bounce as much as she had thought, so she climbed in. Hey, this isn't bad, she thought, resting her head in the cloak. Pretty comfortable too, just like he said. She turned to look at him, wondering how he was planning to spend the night.

Elrick paused, keeping his back to her, raising an arm and removing the Bloodsword's sheath from his back, making it fall to the ground with a thud, sinking deep into the earth. That thing has got to weigh so much, but he lifts it like it's nothing! she thought, continuing to watch.

Elrick's arms went to his shoulder, before beginning to remove the light leather armor he had on. Dropping it to the ground, he pulled out the robe he wore underneath, its flowing cloth falling to the ground. He removed it, exposing his giant back. Nenet saw the great muscles that allow Elrick to keep lifting the mammoth sword. I...really shouldn't be watching this, she thought, blushing in the hammock, but kept watching anyway. He owes me anyway.

His gauntlets still on, he lifted the Bloodsword once more, placing it back on his bare shoulders. The black be