Absolutely! I was going to cap it at six, but since it seems like Yung won't be joining us, you're both welcome to throw something up. Once you guys are done (and hopefully I will also be) we'll get started!
Dark looming clouds gave way to a crack of light as the sun began to rise in the Eastern most parts of Drakka. The giant beast pushed out the moonlight as it rose higher and higher into the sky, until finally it claimed its rightful throne high atop Vivari. Light cascaded upon Moknasthul, kissing every corner of the world. It was almost as if it shone the brightest on Železna Kri, celebrating a successful Reaping from the eve before.
The city itself was celebrating the ceremony as well, with hundreds and hundreds of vendors and shops lining the cobblestone streets. The merchants that were displaying their wares were not the regular bunch that normally set up their shops. These men had travelled tirelessly for days with the best of their best to flaunt in the Capital, knowing all too well the day after the Ceremony would make them a pretty penny as the Drakkan impulsively spent their gold on any ware that caught their eye. It was the perfect time to be a merchant.
Quick footsteps belonging to average sized Drakkan surveyed the city. In the manner that they moved, it was clear they were looking for something, or someone. It had been less than 24 hours, and already the city was whispering about the return of The Berserker. Most Drakkan were nervous, scared even (though a Drakkan would likely never admit that), but there were those who wanted to lay claim to the bounty attached to The Berserker’s title. And even those who were stupid enough to pursue it. The Drakken who were searching for The Berserker were doing so based on nothing more than rumours of what he looked like; unfortunately (or fortunately?) for Höd, he often stood out with his massive size and deep violet eyes. The bounty hunters would not deter him though, if anything, it provoked him into the open.
Höd casually walked through the streets, his eyes wandering to the vendors that lined them. He wasn’t interested in the wares that the Drakken were selling, he simply was looking for something to do while he lost his thoughts to the events of the night before. Sneaking into the Ceremony was a calculated move, one done out of pure intelligence, but his brilliance was thwarted by the ignorant white haired pretty boy. Instinctually a scoff released from Höd’s chest; to any onlooker he was scoffing at the merchant’s goods in distaste when really it had nothing to do with them. The brute had never faired well when his strategic planning had been kiboshed and it always resulted in someone dying because of it. Höd was quick to think on his feet and when he had a goal in mind, he achieved it no matter the cost. In last night’s case, the cost was a girly looking Drakkan. A lavish grin appeared on the Berserker's face, he could still feel the warmth of the Drakkan’s blood spilling over his bare hands.
The Ceremony night wasn’t all bad, not only did he have the chance to satisfy his blood lust, he also stumbled across a rarity. Höd’s memory flashed back to Morganna as she smiled at him exiting the hall after watching him deliver penance to the pathetic creature. He was impressed with the woman just by speaking to her, but watching her take pleasure in his murderous act (even in the smallest form of a smile) left him hungry for more. Morganna had intrigued him enough that he wanted to have her. His eyes were now set on a prize that he was determined to win. How he would win it though was unknown to him.
Höd was snapped out of his thoughts when a Drakkan smaller than him had bumped into him. A word of caution, erring on the side of threat, spat from the Drakkan’s mouth as he told Höd to “watch it.” Although the Drakkan commoner had not walked into him with enough force to knock him off his feet, he was now annoyed. Höd latched onto the sides of each of the Drakkan’s arms, his massive hands gripping into the Drakkan’s flesh. Höd was much taller than this Drakkan, though that was something he was used to. He amounted the smaller Drakkan to being direct results from cross-breeding with the weak Gemmenite race. For all Höd was concerned, he had enough evidence; all half-breeds he came in contact with were much smaller or weaker than his pure-blood self. The Berserker leered over the Drakkan, who was now yelling at the face of danger in opposition to what was being done. Höd’s deep purple eyes looked down upon the man; he would’ve let the poor soul go if he hadn’t had opened his big mouth.
”Now, now. That is no way to speak to the Berserker, now is it?" Höd exclaimed with a calm breath, his grip growing tighter and tighter against the Drakkan’s arms.
”B..b...berserker!? The now fearful Drakkan questioned with a shaky voice.
The way the weakling looked up at him in fear reminded him of the Drakkan he had come across following his monumental introduction at the Ceremony. Slaughtering the pretty boy amongst the crowd had quenched his thirst temporarily, but he had to leave behind his bride knowing all too well that the Royal Family would have pursued him further if he had taken her. But what he yearned for was a woman’s body; more importantly, the pleasure that he could forcefully take from it. When he came across a wandering fool and his bride in the night filled streets of Železna Kri, he couldn’t resist any further. It was almost too perfect. The way the Gem looked up at him, her eyes not daring to look at the mangled body on the street behind him as they shook with fear, reminded him of the same look this pathetic Drakkan was giving him.
Höd’s devilish grin returned, excited from the horrific face displayed on the Drakkan in his grasp. ”Today is your unlucky day, my friend. If I am feeling particularly generous, I might let you live. At least long enough to feel each drop of blood leave your tiny little body.”
”His unlucky day?” A voice sounded behind Höd. ”I think you have it all wrong, Berserker. Today is YOUR unlucky day, friend.”.
Höd’s iris wandered to the outermost corner of his eye, attempting to see who the voice belonged to. There were a few sets of feet to his right. His eyes moved to the other side. There were a few more sets of feet to his left. Höd snickered and released the Drakkan in his grasp, who made no point in waiting and hurriedly scampered away. The brute turned his body three quarters, not paying any respect to the group who had approached him to face them completely. His eyes fell on the Drakkan in the center; clearly the ringleader of this unfortunate group of imbeciles. There were five of them. Five of them to have fun with. Hod’s grin returned. It lingered on his lips for a few brief seconds before a low chuckle began to pour out of his chest, eventually erupting into full entertained laughter.
”What do you think you’re laughing at, ape! We outnumber you, fool. Are you too stupid to see that you’re going to die here!? I, Mazus, will claim the bounty on your head!” The ringleader spat, his voice steady with confidence.
The laughter subsided, replaced with a harshly serious expression. Höd’s eyes now fixed on the Drakkan in the center, ”I’m laughing at the fact that you truly believe you’ll be able to kill me. Five men is all you brought for a Drakkan titled the Berserker, a title gained by slaughtering the masses who stood against him. Did you not take one moment to think of the stories about me?”
”It’s alright though, what’s another five to add to my tally.” His voice carried with a slight comical tone. ”And don’t worry, I won’t even use my own weapon. You know, to give you even just some kind of a fighting chance”
Mazus ground his teeth together in frustration at Höd’s cockyness. The Drakkan’s fists clenched together as Höd continued to mock them. Mazus would not let the Berserker get away with it. He would claim the bounty on Höd’s head. ”You heard him boys, he isn’t going to use a weapon. It’s time the Berserker died!”
All five men lurched toward Höd simultaneously…
The sun is shining! Höd reminisces about murder and babes. Some jackass knocks into him ruining his day dream. Höd goes aggro. Group of Drakken want to take the bounty on his head! Höd is a douche, laughs and mocks them. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Bride of Ineraz. Sister Bride of Zeldria. Interacting with Ineraz@SilverPaw Collaboration with @SilverPaw
The wooden floor was cold beneath her body, even though her husband was gracious enough to provide them with bed rolls. It was almost strange to her, how uncomfortable she was given the temperature of the room. She was used to sleeping on the ground and with less than what Ineraz had given her, but the climate of Drakka was more harsh than her home.
Was it ever really a home?
A smiling boy… cheerful and laughing.
It was a home then.
Sera’s forehead knotted into a wrinkle as her brow quivered slightly. A small tear formed in the corner of her eye but it would never kiss her cheek. It remained there, as the girl stared harshly at the door, silently praying for his memory to disappear. It would take countless hours for the girl to fall asleep between tossing and turning, until finally… she settled.
Crimson eyes shot open, startled by the ghosts in her dream. She gasped for a breath that wasn’t there, heart pounding against her chest. After a few long seconds, which felt like minutes, her breath steadied and her heart calmed. Sera’s eyes wandered around the room, looking for any threats that had managed to creep their way in while she was sleeping - there was nothing. She looked up to where the bed was, her sister bride? And husband were sleeping soundly.
It’s just in your head…
The girl quietly lifted the blankets off of her and slid out of the bed roll. She stood erect, quietly observing the sleeping couple. There was no way she was going to sleep now and she was curious about the new place that she was in. Surely, there would be no harm in peeking around? Her bare feet walked silently across the room, the moonlight from a nearby window lighting her path. Her hand reached out to the doorknob and fell still on it as she looked back over her shoulder to make sure Ineraz and Zeldria were still sleeping. There had been no movement in the bed; it was safe to proceed. The doorknob turned lightly and she pulled open the door enough for her to slip out quietly. As Sera emerged in the hallway, she left the door ajar behind her. She took three quiet steps forward before allowing herself to take a breath; she had been holding it for a reason unknown to her, she didn’t even know she was doing it.
Sera walked quietly down the hall, admiring the murals on the wall. She had passed most of the magnificent paintings on her way to the bedroom, but she never had a moment to enjoy them. Her hand reached out to the wall as she walked, trailing her fingertips across its surface. She felt the heat beneath her fingers as they traced the grain in the wood; a slight hint of sulfur tickled her nose but she didn’t stop. Sera continued to walk down the hall, leaving behind fingertip sized scorch marks as a trail. The girl’s feet slowed to a halt when she found herself in front of a particular painting; it was the largest one she had seen yet. It was bordered with a golden frame and inside it was a man that looked like her husband, but older, a lot older. Next to the man was another that looked like him, this one was younger… Sera was completely mesmerized by the grand picture in front of her that she stood completely still in front of it.
An almost inaudible rustling sound interrupted Ineraz’s sleep and at first, he thought he was dreaming. When faint footsteps joined in, his mind startled him awake, convinced that an assassin had come for him. This line of thought led him to keep up the pretense of sleeping, while he waited for the person to do something. The soft click of the door opening a few moments later woke him up fully. He sat up on the bad, and glanced at Zeldria, who still appeared to be sleeping. His eyes moved over to Sera’s corner, and she was gone. Not entirely unexpected. If it had been an outsider, he would have woken up as soon as they attempted to enter.
He slipped out of the bed, hoping Zeldria would not wake up or at the very least, not attempt to do anything unnecessary if she did. Just in case, Ineraz picked up his crossbow, which was hanging from a hook on the wall, and took the accompanying bag with bolts as well, slinging it over his left shoulder. He readied the weapon in his right hand, and exited the room to chase after his prey. He stalked stealthily along the hall, and the trail which the Gem had left behind her did not escape him. Does she want to be caught? He raised a brow in disbelief, but followed it until his bride came into sight at the end of the hall, where she stood in front of some of the Evrenarth family portraits.
“Couldn’t sleep any longer?” he murmured the question. He was curious whether she had slept at all; there was a slight possibility she had only pretended to do so and waited until a time when she could make her escape. The fact that she was now admiring the manor’s art, however, made that unlikely.
The voice behind her startled her somewhat, her head turning quickly to see who it belonged to. When she had noticed her husband standing there, even though he was her captor, the familiar face eased her slightly. Her eyes flicked over to the crossbow over his shoulder. Was he hunting her?
“I had a nightmare. I can’t usually sleep afterwards.” She responded, alluring to the fact she had nightmares often. Her eyes returned to meet Ineraz’s. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I just wanted to look around. I’ve never seen a house so big before.”
“So you often wake up because of nightmares...What do you dream about?” he asked, but shook his head just as suddenly, changing his mind. “I don’t believe it matters. As for waking me up, I would be concerned if you didn’t. Most Drakken don’t die in their sleep, and being killed because of carelessness would certainly be shameful.”
He looked at the Gem curiously. She was so different from Zeldria. At some level, he was aware that the latter’s reaction was the more common one, but Sera’s fearlessness in their interactions was truly intriguing.
“I can show you around,” he offered, then cocked his head to the side as he considered the slight Gem. “Is there anything that could help you sleep? Food, or some wine, perhaps?” Bad sleeping habits combined with being in such a foreign environment could prove lethal for the Gem, definitely a situation to prevent if at all possible.
Ineraz’s question sparked an image in her head, one of giant shadowed figures looming over top of her. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished. Luckily the Drakkan decided just what her nightmares were about, were not important. She was not interested in sharing with him that haunting memories of burning her bro…
A quick painful expression swept across her face but she pushed it away, allowing her blank stare to return. Her husband insinuated the idea that she had wanted to kill him while he was asleep. Her face contorted into a confused look as she tried to think of why… it seemed more so, that [i]he]/i] wanted to kill her; he had come with a weapon after all.
“I have no reason to kill you.” She offered, rather bluntly. For most gems, it was a peculiar statement, but for Sera it seemed normal. This man had done nothing wrong to her, if anything, he had provided her with more comfort than she had ever been given before. The way he looked at her curiously caused the girl to reach to her face, as if something was there. “Is there something wrong…”
Did he already figure her out? Was he starting to see the same monster that everyone else did… Her doubt was diminished by his courteous offer to show her around and his interest in her well-being. Although she knew very well that nothing would help her sleep, the gesture was still received well. “Wine? I’ve never had wine.”
Amused, Ineraz chuckled. “Not yet?” he smiled at his quip. “I’d certainly prefer for us to cooperate than try to kill the other,” he stated matter-of-factly.
He shook his head fondly when she touched her face, seemingly worried. “Not at all. I simply like you, sweet one,” Ineraz invoked one of his endearments for her again.
He smiled devilishly at her revelation, a wicked glimmer entering his eyes. “Oh, then you simply must have some! We have several splendid vintages here. There’s a cellar right below the kitchens,” he loosened his hold on the crossbow a bit, now that there was no evident danger, but still kept it ready next to his thigh. “I don’t imagine you will mind a bit of darkness? The lightning has to be kept a bit lower down there,” he explained. He then smirked and added in levity “You could always use some of your fire, hm?” He did not wish for her to actually do so for this venture, so he followed up with a more serious statement. “However, the wines can be sensitive, so it is honestly better not to.”
As he spoke, Ineraz nodded in the direction they would go, gesturing for Sera to walk at his side as he led her to the manor’s cellar. As they went, he wondered how the Gem would be affected by the alcohol.
Sera blinked at the man as he chuckled and made, what she could only assume was a joke. She wasn’t sure how to react, should she laugh? She didn’t bother with a response and watched him curiously as he shook his head at her. “I simply like you”. His endearment caught her off guard; he liked her, why? No one had ever liked her before. There was nothing to like about her. She looked at him puzzled, opening her mouth to speak, but deciding against it. Although she was curious, her husband seemed excited by the fact that she had never tried wine before and for once, she wasn’t going to spoil the moment.
The dark. It was something she had been uneasy about ever since the incident. Funny enough, as she lived the rest of her life mostly in the dark. It was almost a strange form of self-punishment. Sera simply nodded to Ineraz, he had made it clear that the wine needed to be kept such a way, she would not disturb it with her own preference for a light. She joined him at his side opposite of the crossbow as he lead her down the hall, the stairs, and to the cellar. She kept silent until they reached the cellar, and as the door was opened into an abyss of nothingness, her body instinctually grew nearer to Ineraz’s. He had a weapon after all.
“Why.. does wine have to be in the dark?” she asked, her arm now almost touching his with how close she had drawn, not entirely realizing it herself.
For a moment, the girl seemed confused, but said nothing, and just followed him silently. They reached the dark and cramped stairway leading to the cellar, and Ineraz took a moment for his eyes to adjust. There were a few oil lamps which he could and did light down the way, but they provided barely enough visibility so that there would be no unfortunate crashes down the stairs.
Ineraz noticed Sera gradually drawing closer to the point where she almost pressed into his left side. He put his arm around her shoulder and answered her question softly. “Too much light harms it. It affects the taste. Some occasional lightning is alright, but long-term exposure would ruin the wines.” They reached the actual room, which was rather extensive but would still be considered normal for a house this size.
“While we’re on this topic, is there any taste you’d prefer? Sweet? Sour? Bitter? A mix? There are many varieties, but I doubt you would be familiar with the Drakken names, or even the Gemmenite ones, if you’ve never had any. So try describing the sort of flavour you might enjoy. If you remember any types of grapes, fruit, honey or spices you ever liked, that could also help in choosing a bottle.”
The arm came around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. Sera glanced over at it, unsure whether or not she liked it, but for the moment she considered it a necessary safety precaution. Her feet finally found solid ground and she looked around the room, curiously surveying it; another large space. Ineraz had begun explaining wine to her, and she did her best to listen, but her eyes were content on remaining on the darkness in the room. What lied within it… the possibility frightened her.
Ineraz had asked her preference, but nothing came to mind. There was so little that she enjoyed in her home, and what she did enjoy she wanted to forget. Without moving her eyes from their fixed spot on the shadows, she lightly turned her head toward him to at least signal she was listening. “I will have whatever your preference is… I don’t have one myself.”
Her head turned back, her body inched closer to her husband, and she swallowed hard enough to make a noise. It was clear she was uncomfortable in the space, and as her nerves grew, her body began to become warmer. Ineraz would notice the temperature change in her, surely, as his arm was wrapped around her.
Ineraz watched as Sera stared into the darkness. Was it possible that a fire Gem was actually disturbed by such a thing? He would find it strange if that were the case. “I wouldn’t recommend what I’m having, Drakken generally prefer much stronger beverages, or so I’m told.”
He was about to proceed and pick out a bottle or two, when Sera’s body heated up and she whimpered quietly, almost curling into him. Ineraz furrowed his brows in mild confusion, but attempted to calm her down. “Don’t worry, little one. I will be done here very soon and then we can leave,” because it seemed like the thing to do, he kissed the top of Sera’s head. Hopefully, she would not cause damage to the cellar if she panicked any more. He had heard rumours that hysterical Gems could do actions which were usually considered unlike them, such as attacking and harming others or damaging valuable property.
The feeling of his lips against her head drew attention to her own rising body temperature, even more so when Ineraz offered her comforting words. Sera drew three deep breaths, attempting to sooth her nerves, it worked mildly as she began to cool. Ineraz removed his arm from her, moving to pick a wine. She stood as still as a statue with no one beside her to protect her from whatever loomed in the darkness. She didn’t care what wine he was picking, she just wanted to leave. As soon as he returned to her, she turned and began her ascend up the cellar stairs without a moment's warning. Her pace was much quicker than it was on their descent, she barely even waited for the Drakkan.
Sera emerged from the cellar into the kitchen. As she walked into the moonlit room, her heart slowed and her temperature returned to normal. A slight of embarrassment washed over her; such an emotion was odd for her to have. Her face fixed on the floor, as her red eyes peered up to Inereaz from the corner of her face in what could be described as shame. “I’m sorry. I don’t care for the dark.”
Ineraz left Sera’s side for a moment, and picked up a very mild and sweet wine for her, then took one of the stronger spiced meads for himself. This time it was him following Sera up the stairs and he watched her back as she practically ran up the way they had come.
Once they were both in the kitchen, she looked up at him shyly, seemingly self-conscious. “No need to apologize,” he waved his hand dismissively after he set the two bottles down on the table. “I wasn’t aware you were uncomfortable with darkness,” he commented, as he took a few steps to the nearest cabinet and fetched them two glasses. He opened the bottles and poured for them both. He set the wine in front of Sera, and warned “Sip slowly.” He, on the other hand, took a rather generous measure of mead, and it slid easily and pleasantly down his throat. “We can move to a sitting room,” he noted after he almost emptied his glass already. As long as he could drink companionably with his bride, he didn’t much care for the setting they did it in, but if the Gem wanted to relocate, they could.
Sera recomposed herself and watched as her husband poured her a glass of wine from a different bottle than he was heaving. He hadn't listened to her about wanting the same thing as him; she didn’t blame him. Her hands wrapped themselves around the glass placed in front of her, a small thank you escaping her lips. She watched intently as her husband drank a large gulp of his beverage, she wondered why he had cautioned her but did not heed it himself. “I thought I said I would have the same as you.” she stated, anyone would find her words a challenge but she didn’t mean them to be. Her blunt expression was often misinterpreted.
The girl looked down at her drink, there wasn’t much in the glass, only a few mouthfuls. Sera lifted it off the table, sniffing at the rim of the glass. She contemplated for a moment and without taking the caution that accompanied the beverage, she quickly guzzled it down in one swift move. The harsh taste painted her throat, a disgusted look appeared on her face, and small repetitive coughs escaped her. She quickly placed the glass back down on the table and stared at it, as if it had assaulted her. “You like this?” she questioned, her big eyes now looking up at him.
It was possible she had simply drunk it too fast to enjoy its taste, but she wasn’t ready to give up so easily and pushed her cup toward Ineraz. “I want to try the one you’re having.”
Sera accepted Ineraz’s offer to relocate and she started toward the other room, passing a look behind her at her husband to make sure he would follow her and bring their drinks with him. “Are you coming?”
Ineraz gave Sera a rather feral grin at her assertion of having wanted the same, torn between amusement and provocation, and bared his teeth to her, but did nothing beyond that simple warning. Despite his caution, the Gem drunk the wine swiftly, then coughed, looking displeased at the taste. Ineraz rolled his eyes at the sight. Amateur. Exasperated, he raised a brow at her, smirking at her disapproval.
“Alcohol takes some time to get used to,” he explained to her. Had he been younger, he might have teased her about her inexperience, and that she had her refusal to listen to a superior to thank for her miserable experience with the wine. However, he simply continued observing her in amusement.
He looked at Sera with consideration when she pushed her cup towards him, and finished off his own drink. Before he could fulfil her request, she once again moved ahead of him. Baffled, but also in a good mood, he stoppered the bottles, held both under an arm, picked up the two glasses with the same hand, and followed her.
“Oh, and you know where to go, do you?” Ineraz questioned mildly, but did come after her, then directed her to a nearby sitting room. He lit it as they entered, mainly for Sera’s sake. His crossbow, he set on a high drawer, where Sera would be hard pressed to reach it, though she didn’t seem inclined to attempt murdering him so far. He sat on a comfortable leather-cushioned chair beside a table, and set down the drinks yet again. This time, he poured the mead for both of them, and gestured Sera to take the seat opposite of him.
“You might like this one better,” he shrugged a shoulder in a very unconcerned manner, and sipped his mead. If she wasn’t inclined to listen to his suggestion, perhaps she would take her cue from him as she had before.
Sera herded in the direction of the sitting room with the help of Ineraz. She could feel a slight flush sweeping over her face, an obvious result from drinking an entire glass of wine in one sip while also having a mostly empty stomach. She watched as Ineraz took a seat in a chair, she sat opposite of him as he had suggested, and reached for the glass he offered. Again, the girl sniffed the rim of the cup but this time she sipped it lightly. Despite taking his caution, the taste was still awful. Her face twisted into a knot once more but she shook it off and took another sip.
“Ineraz, Sir.” She started, her eyes fixed on the rippling of the mead in her glass as she made small circular motions with the dish. “What does a bride… do?” she asked, curiously though flatly. Her gaze moved from the glass to her husband. “I know I belong to you now… but I still don’t know, what is a bride?”
Pure innocent curiousity flowed from the girl. Sera hadn’t spoken with someone in this manner, or at all, in what felt like years. She had never belonged to anyone or anywhere. No one had wanted her. And for some reason, this person did. The question as to why still filled her head, there was a reason for her being there. It was to be a bride, but what did that mean for Drakken? What was expected of her?
Ineraz softly snorted when he saw Sera grimace at tasting the drink. “Not for everyone, I suppose. Though you might enjoy Gemmenite alcohol,” he mused. If it weren’t such a wasteful expense, he would have considered buying a vintage from her homeland, but saw no reason to do so.
He blinked at her next question. Hadn’t the Gems been told at Shadow Worth what was expected of them? “Brides are intended for procreation with Drakken males. There are very few Drakken females left, and those that are, typically choose themselves whose wife they will become,” he took another leisurely sip of his drink before continuing. “Being a bride means that you will never be considered my equal. You will not be able to become my wife. Even if I wanted it, it wouldn’t be proper. In the eyes of the Drakken, you are my property. I could do whatever I wanted to you or with you, and no-one would have any issue with it.”
He caught her blood red eyes with his own gaze, and stressed his next words. [/color=008B8B]“Indeed, you belong to me. And I do want and expect a child by you. But equally, I desire for you to be my lover. To have you agree to the pleasures I could show you, and take joy in them as well.” [/color]
Another sip of mead fell on the girl’s lips as Ineraz blinked at her curiously. It was obvious he was surprised by her question, and he had every right to be, Shadow Worth should have taught her these things and they likely had but her experience there was nothing but a blur. She hadn’t retained anything but the punishments the Drakken had given to the girls. Those Drakken were nothing but brutal monsters, impatiently waiting for the opportunity to force their power upon the Gemmenites. This Drakkan, Ineraz… her husband, however, did not seem to be the same brutal monster as the ones she had encountered already. Sera listened contently as Ineraz explained what it meant to be a bride. Procreation. Property. A child. A lover.
Her purpose was to bear him a child. He had free reign over what he did with her, no one could protect her from him. And yet, he didn’t choose to simply take what he wanted. He wanted her to be his lover. The concept was foreign to her as she scraped through her mind to what that meant, or even looked like, outside of simply procreating, as he put it. Pleasure. Joy. A memory of her parents locking lips before one of them parting came to her mind; the look on their faces after the act, their smiles spread from ear to ear. Pure joy. Sera’s eyes fell on her mead once more, taking another sip (this time with less of a disgusted twinge afterward) before placing the glass on a nearby table.
The girl removed herself slowly from the chair she was in and walked lightly toward Ineraz. Her feet slipped in between his legs and she looked down at him now, curious eyes studying his face. She reached out to him in the same manner she had done in the room, her hands finding a place on either side of his face. Her head dropped to meet eye level with his, closely observing him. He wants me to be his lover… this must be the first step.
Sera closed her eyes, her face drawing closer to his. As the two neared, she could feel his breath on her lips. An instinctual tongue wetted her own before she allowed them to press into Inerez’s. It was delicate and soft, but with enough force to tell him she had meant to do it and even more so, wanted to. As his lover. The girl removed her mouth from his after a few moments and took a couple gingerly steps away from him. It was either the wine she had chugged earlier or the very action she had just tried for the first time, but either way, her face was flushed. A small, almost pathetic smile (as if she had never done it before), appeared momentarily before leaving once she opened her mouth to speak.
“I think… I’m tired now. I’m ready to sleep.”
Ineraz watched with a restrained eagerness as Sera closed in on him, stepped between his legs, and once again put her hands to his face, very similarly to how she had done but a few hours ago. He endeavored to show patience outwardly, but his anticipation was too great for him to appear entirely nonchalant.
As her lips met his, he sneaked one of his hands to her waist, holding it there gently, while he moved his other one upwards, his fingers meeting the back of her right palm softly and stroking it as he returned the kiss. He moaned quietly - though this was a very innocent act, there was still a willing bride before him, and the manner in which she engaged him was a great progress towards Ineraz’s eventual goal.
The Drakkan reluctantly released the Gem as she moved backwards. His pupils were slightly widened in lust; her blush was just as appealing as her kiss had been. He returned her smile with a pleased one of his own. “That was very good,” he complimented her earnestly. Behavior like that was certainly something he wanted to encourage and hopefully Sera would take it to heart.
[color]“Very well,”[/color] he murmured at her request. He left the drinks on the table, picked up his weapon - how very much unneeded it had proven, but he would never regret his preference to be armed rather than not - and headed back to his chambers, Sera in tow.
The two of them entered the room quietly, as not to wake the sleeping bride in the bed. Ineraz placed his weapon and ammunition in their proper locations and practically dropped into bed, back into his spot next to Zeldria, satisfied with the events of the evening. Sera watched as her husband moved about the bedroom before finally settling and as she passed the bed toward her bed roll on the ground, she stopped for a brief moment, turning to steal one last look at Ineraz before crawling into the blankets on the floor.
The girl yawned as she thought about the evening, more importantly, as she thought about her husband. For some reason beyond her wildest dreams, he fancied her. Maybe he was just as crazy as she was? Crimson eyes grew heavy as she watched the door to the bedroom, despite the distraction with Ineraz, the monsters always remained.
Sera cannot sleep, so sneaks out of the room. Ineraz is too good, wakes up, and follows her. Ineraz wants to get her drunk and leads her to a dark cellar (oh my!). Sera is scuuurred and runs away before burning the whole place down. Sera gets drunk (GHB?) and then they smooch after some innocent chatter about slavery.
Bride of Heccarmin. Sister Bride of Sorrin@WeepingLiberty Interacting with Heccarim and Sorrin
A frantic outburst sounded from the small blonde sitting beside her. It was nice that she was finally speaking, but Arden wouldn’t let the girl’s sudden voice shock her. Although she remained still, focusing on the monster before them, her ears were open to what Sorrin was saying. She spat out what sounded like childish babble; a desperate attempt to cling to anything that made sense. The girl had spoken so quickly, she didn’t even pause to take a breath.
Fear.
He had scared the girl… Arden knew that fear was the normal response in their situation, but the voice in her head kept screaming at her to fight against it. The voice wasn’t her own, it was a piece of each and every sister she had met along the way; someone had to be strong for them. Someone had to not be afraid for them. Now more than ever, she had to be the pillar of strength she was raised to be… she wasn’t alone in this. She had Sorrin.
One of the ugly creatures suddenly appeared in her lap after reciting yet another tactic to scare them. From the corner of her eye she could tell he was staring up at her, smiling a yellow grin in her direction. She refused to pay him any attention, even though all she wanted to do was push him off of her immediately. This was about the stand she had taken, and she was not going to remove her focus from the Warden of Harand Kor. The creature’s presence didn’t last, as their master removed him quickly but with it came the sound of their chains…
And there she was. The small blonde haired gem, Sorrin, in the monster’s lap. Her body tensed as she watched his finger run its course along Sorrin’s abdomen, her own battle scar aching at the reminder of what the Drakken were capable of.
"As such I propose a little condition; I will not punish you for your crimes, instead I will simply inflict the punishment of your crime on to the other."
Arden’s heart stopped, barely choking back the breath of panic that filled her lungs. Her entire body flinched as the Warden forced a finger apart from Sorrin’s hand and waved in front of the tiny creatures as if it were a treat ready for the taking. Her harsh exterior had melted away into worry for her sister bride; she had caused this… The fear on the blonde’s face was growing rapidly, she was losing colour in her skin, and her eyes were beginning to tremble with panic. Arden recognized the look, she had seen it before; the girl was reliving a trauma.
She wanted to reach out to Sorrin and snatch her back from the monster’s grip, but she wouldn’t.. She couldn’t. She knew that would only lead to more suffering for the already terrified Gem. There was nothing more she could do, nothing more that she could push. She would not take the chance of risking Sorrin’s safety for her own ego. Arden finally released the heavy sigh that had been trapped in her chest for so long… but as she let it go, she found herself quickly gasping for it back as she watched the Warden’s hands snake their way around the blonde girl’s neck.
Every hair on the back of Arden’s neck stood tall. A chill swarmed her body as she watched with bug eyes as the monster’s hands tightened around Sorrin’s neck. The girl wasn’t struggling to breath, which meant he wasn’t constricting her air flow… yet. The Warden’s eyes met with hers and as a growl escaped his maw, he asked if Sorrin would be punished or not. He had won.
”Checkmate, Warden. I’ll behave…” Although she was frightened, she wouldn’t show that in the tone of her voice. Her glare gave way to an apologetic gaze as her entire expression lost its fire and was replaced with a submissive one. ”Now please let her go…”
You won’t get away with this… you might have won this round… but there will be more.
No Heccarim, don't hurt baby Sorrin.. I swear I'll be a good girl!
APPEARANCE: Standing at 5’10” with a pale complexion, Axel is of average height and build. His hair is light blonde in colour, sometimes defined as platinum, and shaggy with multiple waves throughout it; it is medium length for a men's cut. The most appealing thing about Axel is his smile, it could make a group of girls weak at their knees should he choose to use it for that purpose. His jawline is strong but his eyesight is not, and for that he remedies it with a pair of thick rimmed glasses that have a deep red frame. Staring through them are a pair of dark grey eyes that have blue flecks throughout them, though it wouldn't be noticeable unless you were up close and personal. Axel’s choice in wardrobe is rather casual, sporting semi-loose straight cut jeans, plain crew cut t-shirts that sometimes have graphics on them, and various assortments of coats, jackets, or cardigans.
PERSONALITY When life gets you down, what do you do? Well Axel, he would laugh at it. Seriousness was meant only for his work, in every other aspect of his life, he was a comic. Charming, charismatic, and well versed in the oral language, Axel is easy to get along with. As a young child he was an outcast, as a young adult, he is quick to make friends. In his everyday life, Axel is rather humble and believes hard work is what gets you places. In Haven, he is a lot more smug, but other than that, his personality is constant through to the digital world as it is a familiar place for him. At times Axel can be indecisive and questionable of others; yes he draws people in quite easily, but trusting them is a whole other story. He plays off a lot of his worries by making a joke and very rarely shows someone how he is truly feeling. He created a certain image for himself, both in and out of the digital world, and it is one that is meant to protect his insecurities about himself.
BACKGROUND: Axel Lundin, a Swedish boy born into a family of three brothers, no sisters, and a dog. His parents, though still together seemed to hate each other and constantly argued; a circumstance that later divided the family. Axel’s brothers were rather successful, following in their parent's footsteps and pursuing a career in law. Law was not a particular interest in Axel’s life and at a young age he took an interest in technology. While Axel’s brothers were playing in the mud and kicking a ball around, he was sitting in his room taking apart computers. Technology was the grounding hobby for the child, he was fascinated with the magnitude of parts and more so what each of them meant. The minute he was able to, he began taking them apart in a whole new manner; through code.
Through Axel’s teenage years he explored the land of the internet and stumbled upon the world of programming. That’s where it all changed for him. It was obvious to any person that the young boy had a knack for the world of code and he quickly began working on various projects; from designing websites, to indie games, to even cell phone apps. His brain processed what it meant to program like his brain processed breathing to survive. As Axel was graduating high school, he had just finished developing a platform that harboured multiple mass advertising companies, providing them the ability to all work out of a secure network location that delivered analytical data as soon as it was processed. It was genius in the marketing world and it nailed him a scholarship for the Computer Sciences program at UVS.
It was while Axel was at UVS (and far far away from his parents), that he learned about Open World Works. As a Computer Sciences major, it was his job to know everything about everything when it came to the digital world. He followed the companies politics diligently, silently dreaming that one day he would be part of their team as a programmer. It was like someone’s birthday, no.. Axel’s birthday, the day that Haven was released. He wouldn’t be found lining up outside of a store like the poor schmucks that couldn’t afford the pre-release buy to ensure his access right away. He made sure to scrape up enough cash through his freelance coding jobs (did I mention he’s an experienced hacker?) to purchase a pre-release so that he could log on the instant the game went live.
In the beginning it was just a game but soon he was hooked. Axel was marveled by the beauty that was Haven, he couldn’t even fathom the amount of work and dedication that went into the game. His goal soon became to learn as much about the world as possible and develop something to offer Open World Works, something that would land him an internship. What he didn’t know was that in 4 short years, he would be presented with an opportunity he never thought could exist; the threat which was [NERO]. Developing new platforms and systems was Axel’s speciality and he knew that if he could create some kind of a data protection system to combat the criminal group, maybe… just maybe, he could win that internship. Axel immediately got to work and what better place to test his system, than on the game itself? Numerous quest text changes, NPC remodels, and 27 reports later… the system is very much still in progress.
TALENTS AND SKILLS: Freelance Hacker and Programmer Skateboards Persuasive
ABILITIES --- Shadow Ascendance The Shadow Realm is one that exists in every corner of the world. Wherever light exists, a shadow can be cast. The ability to manipulate and control elements of the shadow realm is not learned, but rather, it is earned. Shadow Ascendance was last available to be “won” during a special event in Haven three years ago to celebrate the anniversary of the game. The ability went to the player or group of players who were able to secure five legendary items by the end of the week. Shadow Ascendance was awarded to but a single player.
Shadow Ascendance has various elements and attributes to control, but the ability itself never came with a manual or a description. The user was given the opportunity to explore the peaks and limitations of the ability, creating it what they wanted it to be. With the freedom to contort the ability to match your player’s needs, it also meant that fully mastering Shadow Ascendance would be near impossible. An important note about Shadow Ascendance, is that it does not operate like your typical spell as it doesn't require the use of mana to use; it draws its power from the player's health pool. Each ability cost a percentage of health to be "sacrificed" in order to use it, however; certain abilities grant the user health.
Shadowphage - A sub ability to Shadow Ascendance Shadowphage grants the player the ability to use shadows as portals. The player can enter one shadow and travel to another existing shadow in the area, exiting it in that spot. The player does not have to phage their entire body through a shadow, the player can choose one part of their body to send through the shadow (such as their arm). The player is not able to use their own shadow as a portal.
Shadow Swimming - A sub ability to Shadow Ascendance The user is able to enter their own shadow and move freely along the ground in their shadow form. The user cannot enter another person's shadow. The user is immune to damage in their shadow form, however; if you turn out the lights… they no longer exist.
Shadow Crippling - A sub ability of Shadow Ascendance The user is able to inflict damage to another person through their shadow. The user has to be in their shadow form to be able to inflict damage onto another person’s shadow. Shadow Crippling restores a percentage of the player's health back with each hit.
Create Shadow - A sub ability of Shadow Ascendance The user is able to physically create a shadow and use it as an animate object, however; once the user is no longer physically touching the shadow object, it disappears. Most commonly used to create weapons, barriers, or armor of some kind. If a player is struck by a shadow object, the user's health is restored by a percentage of the damage he dealt; if the user deals a critical strike, the player is granted the full percentage of damage as health.
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INVENTORY: Twin Shadows: High-tier dual daggers that increase critical strike chance and were obtained through countless hours spent grinding quests. [EQUIPPED] Fleeted Boots: Black leather boots with wings stitched into the ankles; increases movement speed both in and out of combat. [EQUIPPED] Spray Paint: For graffiti purposes! Meat Shanks: Boy’s gotta eat.
NOTABLE FEATURES: "Only someone who has played as long as I have... could have such a generic name without it having a bunch of numbers and underscores attached to it"