Field of the Beholder's Eye

Merric almost burst out laughing at the sight he caught as the door flung open and slammed shut. It was like a pair of cut up images he was putting in order, each image revealing a hysterical snapshot of dark-haired man, mouth open wide in surprise. He was also taking into account the fact that this intruder was the stupidest and worst he had seen in a long while.

The door eventually stopped slamming, and Merric strode casually into the darkened room. Merriwether followed behind him, amusement and horror monstrously mashed together on her face.

Chuckling, Merric snapped his fingers and a ball of flame blinked into existence, hovering in his hand. It cast a warm glow over the room, illuminating the various trinkets and furniture that were contained within the place. “My, my, my. What have we here?” He patted the intruder on the back.

The intruder edged away, utterly baffled. “Uh…hi?”

“You know, if you’re going to try to steal things, I suggest you try not to get caught. It’s ideal. And you could at least make use of some of that magic you got."

The intruder’s eyes opened wide. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it again. “I’m…sorry?” He grinned feebly at them, shrugging.

Merriwether stepped out from behind Merric, smiling big. “No need, dearie.” She picked up a dusty gold watch from the desk, took a good look at it, and tossed it at him. “Here, it’s a souvenir. And you better get it out of my sight before I remember what it is! Now, what is your name?”

“I, I’m Ronin,” he answered, completely stunned at the response of the two people. Not only were they not angry at him for breaking in, the male actually scolding him for getting caught, but the woman gave him something. He glance down at the old watch once more. It would be a shiny gold once cleaned of the grime and had intricate designs on it. Ticking could be faintly heard denoting that the clock still kept time. It was definitely worth a large quantity of money but the woman was just giving it to him. What do I do now? Ronin wondered, not knowing how to handle the situation at all.

“Hello, Ronin,” the woman replied cheerfully, “I’m Merriwether Petit and this is Merric Everleaf.” The male smiled a bit more. “I have tea ready if you would like some,” she stated.

“Uh, sure,” the theif replied with a cross of caution and delight. He wasn’t sure why these people were being so nice to him but something to drink sounded great.

“Wonderful,” Merriwether piped and hurried out the door. Merric gave the boy a little nudge and both of them walked out of the room behind the whimsical female. Ronin still wasn’t sure if he should be worried or relaxed, this situation had become bizarre by his standards. Yet it was... nice.

He turned and looked at Merric while they followed, “So, why are you here?”

*sighs* Well, I'm here. Quite an awkward time to come in, but I'll try to do my best. The insperation for this post came from here.
----------------------------------------------------
A lone figure walked through the lush fields surrounding the house, hands in his pockets, slightly hunched, the moonlight reflecting off his half-lidded green eyes. He heaved a sigh, rubbing his oily forehead for a few seconds. His pace slowed down as he neared the cabin. Even though the time was atrocious, there were a few lights on. Still, he was too absorbed in his thoughts to care, nor did he notice the two people chatting on the other side.

Many men have different thoughts on existance. Some say that because we can percieve things with our five primal senses, we exist. Others say that because we can think, we exist. My views? I feel that there is no single way to prove than I, or anyone around me, exist. For all I know, we could be hooked up to a giant computer by cords in the backs of our necks, living a fake life... one away from the problems of the "real" world.

But why would anyone do that? What could be so bad as to cause someone to create a faux existance for everyone? And another thing... how do I know that everyone around me aren't NPCs or something? God, this is deep... and frustrating. So, basically, there is no single way to prove we exist. But... I know I do.

I am Erebus, and I exist because I say so.

But then... what happens when we die?

Suddenly, he was jerked from his thoughts by a sharp pain in his forhead. He staggered back, struggling to gain his balance. He had actually ran into the house, head first, at full walking speed.

"Damn..."

All the circumstances accumulated for one second, the one second Erebus needed to lose it. He punched the wall in front of him, hitting it hard enough to shove splinters deep into his fist. His heart raced for just another second, and he screamed out loud. His awarness became a blur, and he felt himself moving, limbs numb. The next thing he knew he had tripped and fell on his face right next to the door, his left leg twisted beneath him. Suffice to say, he was in extreme pain.

OoC: >< God, I have been putting this off way too long. Sorry about that.

BiC:

“…The hell was that?” muttered Roderick as a distinct thud came from around the corner. He walked warily around the cabin, leaving Arina at a safe distance in case the cause the sound was a threat. Naturally, he would find otherwise.

***

Merriwether watched with amusement as the newcomer examined his trinket. He seemed pleasantly surprised that she wasn’t scolding him for breaking in. There was nothing irreplaceable here, or anything of great monetary value, after all. Besides, he seemed nice enough. Thieves only steal because they can’t get what they need to survive on their own, right? thought Merri, ever naïve.

She then remembered that her bodyguard had called to her earlier. He was probably getting restless, and that would lead to a sour mood throughout the day. Deciding to appease him, she clapped her hands together and smiled brightly to get her visitors’ attention.

“Well, then! We should head outside now, shouldn’t we? No point wasting anymore time here. Come, and I’ll show you the Field of the Beholder’s Eye.”

***

Though hesitant at first, the girl offered her life story willingly. Drake couldn’t help thinking this a bit odd, but decided not to dwell on it. The sooner he found out what interested his guardian, the better. For a moment, he glimpsed something menacing in her eyes; something which would have sent a chill down any innocent soul’s spine. And then, as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. Drake pondered briefly whether this fragile seeming creature was more sinister than her appearance let on. Still, her harsh words invoked a twinge of sentiment.

No family…? Hmph. At least her relatives are still alive. All I have left are Amy and Terra… A brief image of his recently deceased brother flashed through the half-dragon’s mind; he repressed a flinch. Why had he left them at the base, anyhow? Whether Blitz had truly spoken to him from the beyond or not, Amy and her daughter were his responsibility now. He cleared his head with a light shake and looked down at the little vampire.

“Well, then. May I have your name?”

The air is crisp but not cold. That means there isn't likely to be a fire in the hearth... But if I climb down there, I might not be able to climb back up with much ease. I also risk being seen by those two... beings out there. But I need to know if the contents of this shack will benefit me or if I'm wasting my time, Ranul reasoned with himself.

He did one last sweep of the surrounding area for any immediate threats. There were none. He stood at full height and started lifting himself onto the lip of the chimney when he heard a something.

Thump! "Damn..." Thud! And a scream.

He quickly dropped back down and looked over the edge. He saw a boy and a man who was rounding the corner. Not paying much attention to the roof, which was slightly sloped in this area, Ranul leaned forward. A costly mistake...

The shingles came loose and Ranul tumbled down off of the roof and onto the man's head. Ranul recovered much faster than the man and started to take off. This temporary run didn't last long, for the man grabbed Ranul by the ankle and pulled him back.

The man said to Ranul, "And just where the hell do you think you're running off to? You and that boy there are coming with me inside. Merri will know what to do with you."

Her dark eyes once more met the Dragon-man's, hers displaying no emotion. The silken cloak which she was gifted so many years ago billowed around her as a heavy breeze once more moaned its way through the large field. The night around them seemed to last forever, and it wasn't the least bit intimidating to Knives.

She loved the night. Every aspect of it. The bitter cold which nipped at her skin, the nocturnal animals which made themselves known, the radiant moon and countless, ever-sparkling stars in the sky, but most of all, the darkness which shrouded the lands.

The Beast within the exiled Lady of the Abyss had stirred, that told Knives that she had to train more. Not just physically, but emotionally. A soft, mostly unaudible sigh escaped the girl's pale-pink lips. Soon enough she would once more venture away from civilization.

After finding herself staring off into space for a few moments, she broke from her spaced out void and actually looked at Drake. "Excuse me?" she asked silently, her tone soft and smooth.

“Your name,” he repeated. Perhaps she would be less apprehensive if he introduced himself? Since she was of noble blood, she might also feel obligated favor. Drake bowed slightly, speaking in a clear voice. “I am Drake Keir, half-dragon, half-man. You may have heard my surname mentioned under the breaths of travelers.”

He looked her directly in the eyes, watching her carefully expressionless gaze, waiting for her to blink. She was at least as guarded as he was. Would he be able to break that shell and find out what his Master wanted with this girl? He hoped so. Drake had never failed the Great Dragon before, and he feared to know what might happen if he did.

“I’ve given you my name. Will you tell me yours?”

***

Merriwether pushed open the front door of the cabin, surprised to see Roderick stumble backward to avoid being swatted in the face. “Oh, Roddy! Be more careful.” She passed over his sardonic scowl to see the two standing on either side of them. “Why are you holding onto their arms?” she asked innocently.

“I caught this one,” his scowl deepened as he raised Ranul’s arm more sharply than necessary, “snooping around the back of the cabin. And the, uh, girl looked lost, so I…” He trailed off.

Merri couldn’t restrain a brilliant smile. “Awww, Roddy, that’s so sweet.” Once again failing to register his scowl, she bounced forward and took the two newcomers by their arms.

“So, let’s get this over with.” Roderick turned and stalked away from the cabin toward the lone tree in the center of the field.

Merri smiled at the others surrounding her. “This is the Field of the Beholder’s Eye, and I am its caretaker. Tonight, you will all see something amazing. Come with me.

Knives nodded faintly, and watched him bow before her. This sparked a bit of amusement within her, and she smirked the slightest bit. "You needn't bow to me, Drake." Emphasizing his name as she spoke. "I have never heard such a peculiar surname before." she mused to herself, then gazed listlessly at the ground for a moment or two.

"My name is Knives, Knives Eclipses." she looked up slowly to meet the Dragon-man's eyeful gaze.

Secretly she wondered why she would have heard his surname before, really, she hadn't. Was there something about this bizarre creature that she did not see?

Her expression once more altered stone cold. Her thoughts had become focused on strange things. She was now officially suspicious of this being.

It was such an odd name; definitely inhuman. And what was that look? Had it been someone nearby? No, those other individuals were some distance away opposite the cabin. She is wary of me, then. For a brief moment, the dragon-man considered telling her of his past. Explaining his affiliation with the draconic deity would be unwise, but perhaps he could tell her of the Keirs? He could see no harm in it.

“You needn’t fear for your safety, Lady Knives,” Drake said with a subtle gesture of his hand. “I mean you no harm. The name is an ancient one belonging to a once renowned warrior race who could manipulate the elements with great ease. It is my privilege to carry their blood in my veins.”

The dragon wondered about her reaction. Would her nerves calm, or would she immediately see him as an even greater threat? He didn’t want this harmless chit-chat to turn into a fight, but the vampire girl was clearly as dark and suspicious as he, if not more so. Things could quickly become dangerous.

Wary as she was, she didn't stress over this being. He seemed sincere enough. 'His appearance is quite menacing,' she thought to herself silently, 'But I will think nothing of it, Looks can be decieving.' she reminded herself, before she closed her eyes, calming herself.

"Elementals...eh?" her eyes fluttered open once more, slowly as she spoke. She let her fingers curl up from underneath her cloak, a few hisses of miasma escaping from her fingertips. She wasn't feeling intimidated the slightest bit anymore, and/or wary, but witty.

"I am from a bloodline of vicious demonic Rulers who don't have any sympathy or compassion for life." she had a bit of sarcasm in her tone, even though it was more than true.

Her father was a beast, who cared about nothing more than power. He could easily slaughter any being without a second thought, like he did her mother. Strangely, even though she was Female, she had gained that ruthless trait from both her Father, and her Grandfather. It's not as if she cared anymore, she was betrayed, and had become callous throughout these lonesome years.

Once more noticing that she has become lost in her thoughts, she looked up and once again her dark gaze met his. She felt the contemplative portion of his aura, and wondered exactly what it was that he was thinking.

Her demented lineage didn’t phase the half-dragon, but he almost failed to restrain a laugh. A rare smile escaped him. She had tossed out her tormented history as if it were a token in a competitive game. Such a strange girl… But then, she is a vampire, and a demonic one at that. For some reason, he found speaking to this girl even in short bursts to be completely natural. Perhaps because we share a blood-stained history? The smile vanished from Drake’s face then.

“Not so much elementals as elementalists. My kinsmen were humans blessed with power over the forces of nature until they were murdered, one by one, in secret.”

Drake never held any significant bond with the Keirs. As he spoke, he was filled with an air of detachment, devoid of sentiment. His mother had died shortly after he’d met her for the first time. The only Keir he had known well was his brother, and now he was dead as well. There were no links remaining between Drake and his legacy, save for the safely locked away memories of thousands dead.

It was rare to come across one who did not know of the Keir heritage, esteemed as they were. Unlike the Alliance, they made no attempt to hide their existence. Because of their peaceful disposition, there was no need for secrecy. She must have been either a recluse or an off-worlder not to know of the Keirs.

“To be truthful, I am surprised you have not heard of them,” he said, noticing an odd mist creeping from her sleeve. “They were especially prominent in the old ages of 1200 A.D. But enough of my heritage,” the dragon shook his head and looked down at her cold, emotionless eyes so reminiscent of his own. “A force greater than ourselves has guided me to you, My Lady. Who are you truly?”

She shook her head the slightest bit. It seemed as though they were both in contemplation about the past, as well as eachother. Knives couldn't help but wonder about how she felt so fond around this creature now that she had loosened up. He knew not much about her, as she did him. 'I sense loneliness in his aura, even if it is only shown the slightest bit. His soul must be filled with it.' she thought to herself solemnly.

"Surprised..?" she breathed.

These, Keirs. They seemed to have a reputation in this realm, yet she hadn't heard of them. Then again, she had only been wandering around this realm for about two years.

When she had stumbled upon this place, she was still new to the world. In the past three years, she had matured far more than any other seventeen year old would have. Only a year prior to entering this realm, she had been betrayed by her own family, and banished. The memories were still freshly cut into her mind.

Crisp from being beaten and nearly killed, her demon had taken control of her, and put her into a blind rage for at least a month. She killed anything and everything that stepped into her path, regardless of who or what it was. But she enjoyed it, not that it mattered to her anymore. Her life had seemed useless, and she had attempted to kill herself a generous amount of times.

Looking up from her intense state of thought, she heard him speak:

“A force greater than ourselves has guided me to you, My Lady. Who are you truly?”

'A force greater...--' she stopped in mid-thought.

"I am Knives Eclipses, heir to the throne of the Abyss; and I am nothing more." she spoke in a tone so cold, that it would put a chill down the spine of any being who witnessed such sonority.

OoC: Short and sweet. Size doesn't matter.

BiC:

A fierce young girl—if he didn’t know better, he’d think her angsty—but the dragon-man had seen worse. Then again, it probably wasn’t her best shot. He couldn’t tell if she was angry or aggressive by nature. Drake smirked, no more unnerved than before, and watched her face with interest as he pondered what she’d said.

“Nothing more?” he spoke with amusement. “That would make you either a hollow shell or a ghost. You are neither. My guardian-god would not direct me to you if there were not something particularly special about you.” After a moment, he added: “And I doubt it is your bloodline that my Master seeks.”

He glanced down and made note of the katana sheathed at her obi. At first glance, it was fairly unremarkable, but the dragon sensed something twisted beneath the reflective black surface. Maybe the weapon was what urged the Great One to speak to him? Or perhaps it had something to do with the smoky mist that had seeped from her fingers before? I have all night, or until she gets bored. No need to rush.

Seeing the smirk tug faintly at the Dragon-man's lips, she took a step back, looking Drake straight into the eyes. She then crouched, and jumped straight into the tree behind her, landing on a branch in a slightly crouched position. That simple movement was almost too fast for even the demonic eye to see.

"God?" she scoffed. "For all I know, there could very well be no God." she spoke silently, letting herself slide down the side of the trunk so that she was sitting. Her legs were crossed in front of her, and her cloak had slipped off to the side, dangling down from the branch. The moon still shone down ominously upon the Field, so much that it illuminated her pale skin, and made her oxgenated-blood colored eyes flash dangerously through the leaves of the tree.

She had seen him eyeing her sword earlier. Yes, it was a peculiar sword. It was longer than the standard katana, and made out of a stone not seen to any beings of this realm. But really, was it so different from any other sword? But yes, of course it was. It contained the wickedly tainted dark-soul of her late Grandfather. She had been posessed by it only once, and remembered nothing of the death and devastation she had caused.

"..."

Gazing up at the midnight-blue sky, she found the stars more dazzling than they had been for a while. 'Guess I haven't taken the time to relax in a while...' she closed her eyes, half-smiling as she lowered her head.

She had chosen to cloak herself within this tree, because for some reason, she couldn't stand that gaze. There was something in his eyes which made her uneasy. She never liked being analyzed in such a way anyhow. 'I wonder what he will do now.' she thought to herself, awaiting his reaction.

Somewhat taken aback by her sudden leap, Drake let the smirk fall. He tilted his head back and eyed the vampire carefully. He must have frightened her or done something to offend her, but wasn’t certain as to what. Following her gaze, the dragon noted the moon—or lack thereof. This was the night of the new moon. Aside from a myriad lonesome stars, the world was veiled in darkness. Still, Drake felt the rush in his body that always accompanied nighttime.

Letting his wings reemerge and stretching them to their full length, he returned his calculating gaze to his new acquaintance. “You seem to have misunderstood. My Master is not a true god, but a deity to whom I bear likeness, at least in part.” Would she accept it without hearing the whole truth? He hoped she would; the dragon-man preferred to keep his draconic origins a secret. But something told him this girl would persist in mistrusting until she knew everything.

Not even I know everything, he admitted to himself. At the mention of the mental dam, Drake resisted a wince. Something had slipped out, something very subtle. It was enough to make the dragon’s eyes go wide. So my Lord knows something of this girl after all…

What had emerged from a crack in the psychological barrier was a single, innocent name: Raenef Eclipses.

After she had lifted her left hand up before her, her fingers curled inward. A black, luminous and metallic substance began to exude from her palm. It rose upwards, swirling into a sphere. She closed her eyes, and slipped into a trance-like state. All of the muscles in her body loosened, and made her slip from the branch and fall towards the ground.

The sphere of Armegedon was still swirling above the sharply clawed fingers of her hand, which were now completely relaxed. Her body remained limp as she fell from the high elevation, her face paler than it would be normally.

Before she had fallen unconscious, she caught the two words which slipped from her mental barrier: "Raenef Eclipses."

The liquid still remained in a spherical shape, but it had started to fade into translucence.

Driven by impulse, Drake reached out and caught the falling vampire in his arms. What surprised him more than Knives passing out was his reaction, but that was only momentary. As he lowered his gaze to the girl’s face, disquiet flooded him. The dragon-man could hear with his sensitive ears that her heartbeat was steady, and her breathing normal. No medical attention was necessary, but he couldn’t help wondering what caused her to faint.

A light breeze blew the girl’s lustrous, dark bangs across her face, and her lip twitched as one strand tickled it. She looked so peaceful in sleep, arms crossed upon her chest. Were it not for her constant emotionless frown, Drake would believe she was sleeping soundly. The thick, raven black blood seeping from her body into an orb over her hands was curious enough, but she showed no signs of injury and all body functions appeared normal.

Having this vampire girl so close sent a chill through the dragon. Perhaps his draconic blood was to blame. Hiding a grimace behind a blank stare, he gently laid her prostrate on the grass. Then, with a frown, he scooped her up in his arms again. The two species were at one another’s necks in ages past, but Drake had already decided to put aside inherent distaste for this one. Something about her was important.

But what? And how should I go about finding her out? He somehow doubted the Great One had sent him after an item on her person. No, his Lord’s words made that much clear. This girl herself was important, but for what reason the dragon-man could only guess.

She may not require medical attention, but… A curious thought came to him. Perhaps I should take her to the base? Researching her anatomy may prove helpful. Knives would most likely object if woken, so he would have to be careful not to disturb her slumber.

Drake spread his wings quietly as possible, crouched, then leapt into the sky. Holding the girl tightly, making certain not to drop her or to touch the vampiric orb, the dragon beat his wings once and caught a strong current. It would be mere hours before he reached Alliance base 17.

A cringe had faded into her expression for a few moments, before the expression of dark tranquility took over once more. The dark sphere levitating above her hands had started to fade translucent, leaving a pure substance beneath. It looked like water, but truly it held the same density and texture as the armegedon. From behind Knives' eyelids, her eyes glowed black, but she wasn't conscious for them to open. Her body tensed for a moment, before it relaxed. The sphere had begun to glow a dark-violet.

Other colors soon swirled within the glowing sphere, materializing into recognizable, vivid images. This was her life passing by before his eyes.

Unconsciously, she whispered names into his mind to go along with the images; her Father's name, Eclipse.

Then there was her Awakening (The Ceremony in which after she was betrayed.), the most painful experience of her life. This caused her to clench her fists in this state of semi-sleep, her face contorting a bit painfully for a moment, before it all stopped. It showed everything, each inch of pain seemed to sear into his mind, causing him to feel most of the agony that she had.

It continued to shine with the images of Knives' life, each and every detail revealed.

The betrayal, how she was birthed to Darkness, how she struggled to survive in such a weak state. After this she began to grow stronger, more confident, more--...colder.

It showed all the wars, death, destruction, entropy, sadness. Knives' transition.

In this state, she wouldn't be waking anytime soon. Her body all of a sudden became limp in his arms, and the frown on her lips disappeared, she was in a state of true serenity.

After only minutes in the sky, a dull throb pounded in the back of Drake’s head. He widened his eyes for but a moment only to realize the dam of his mind was fully intact. But upon glimpsing into his mind, an image flashed briefly before him. It was clear as if someone had been standing directly in front of him. Another image followed, then another and another until they were in constant motion; living memories.

Knives muttered restlessly, eyes closed, defenseless in his arms. Glancing down, the half-dragon saw her lips moving wordlessly. The throb ceased, and in mid-flight, the dragon’s mind suddenly exploded in brilliant agony. He let out a cry and struggled to remain airborne, but the pain intensified. Vaguely aware that he was descending rapidly earthward, Drake was forced to watch the terrible sights and endure the pain that came with them. Every terrible experienced the vampire had suffered washed over him in a single overpowering wave. His body was on fire, frozen, torn apart and sewed together, ravaged and destroyed, and the pain only grew worse and worse until consciousness slipped away.

Drake’s eyes went wide again just in time for him to brace for landing. The ground slammed into his legs, sending tremors through him. Dirt churned under the dragon’s feet as he skidded to a halt and slumped to his knees, perspiring and panting heavily but somehow managing not to drop the vampire girl.

His chest heaved as he tried to gain control of his racing heart. Sweat beaded on his black skin, drenching the dragon-man’s clothes. After finally calming his body, Drake looked down in disbelief at Knives who now seemed very peaceful. What had happened to this girl? The cruelty in her life was greater even than in the world of men. A demonic vampire exiled from her homeland by some hateful overlord of a father.

Drake knew for certain that Knives would never hear of being taken to an Alliance facility, but for some reason the dragon felt it even more necessary than before. Obeying his instinct, he pushed aside the fatigue and rose to his feet with some difficulty. Stretching out his wings, Drake took flight once more, hoping there wouldn’t be another similar interruption.

Knives had gone through the exact pains he did; they had together. This made her slip deeper into unconsciousness, leaving her body limp. The clear sphere of Armegedon (Which brought this all about) crackled and hissed, before pressing to the young woman's pale skin, and seeping back into her. No movements or sounds emanated from her except for her slow, steady breathing.

When she would awaken, she would have no recollection of this flashback. The scars in her body, mind, and soul would be fresh again.

A faint tremor racked her body as it trembled in the dragon man’s arms, then stopped.

At the back of Knives’ mind, Darkness was stirring; her beast’s thirst was increasing by the moment. That meant the young heir’s thirst was getting more intense as well. When she would wake, she would need blood almost immediately, or chaos most certainly would strike.