xxhuntressxx

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Blaze

I can be a puppy. I can be the cutest damn puppy this Beauty has ever seen. However I'm saved the indignity of seriously following this line of questioning by Gaul. It's about damn time. I happily let him take over the fight and get to something I'm better suited to, waking swooned babes.

I gently lift Lexianna to a sitting position and rub her face. "Hey there Darlin', I think it's time you woke up." I can hear the blood moving in her veins and the steady beat of her heart, all good signs. Doesn't my sister have a heal-y sword? That would be helpful right now.

Flame

I walk into the Throne World buzzing with anger. I don't know what I need to fight but I'm ready for it. I stop in front of a large staircase, a lone throne at the end, and upon it sits a solid gold statuesque figure. My eyes narrow.

"Uh, hello?" I put my hands on my hips and tap my foot impatiently.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Blaze

No one notices the dangerous beauty as she moves. No one but me. God, I hate being so aware. This is bad. Wasn’t Gaul going to handle her? She looks like she’s ready to serve up Lexianna on a skewer. Not on my watch. I guess I shouldn’t complain, it’ll give me a chance to introduce myself.

I unsheathe the sword Gaul gave me and slide in front of Lexianna. “Hello Beautiful. Sorry but how about we leave Sleeping Beauty be and the two of us handle this?”

I wrap my tail around her spear and attempt to disarm her. “By the way I’m new around here and haven’t had the chance to see the sights. What’s the chances I could get you to show me around? You seem like wonderful company.” I make light of the situation with my banter but I’m taking this woman very seriously. I’m also slightly hoping she’ll say yes.

Flame

I bang on the misty walls of my fog prison. I can't believe I let this happen. I need out now! I squint into the haze and what I see makes fear leap for my lungs. Blaze is facing off with her. NO! NO NO NO! This is my fault. Now my brother, my king, is in danger and I'm not protecting him. I'm furious and frantic. I use the blood to soak the walls and see if I can find an opening.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Flame

It looks like Karnariel has won but I notice he doesn't relax his stance. Instead he remains alert. It presses me to do the same. I engage my sixth sense and keep my ears perked for the slightest change in vibrations, air pressure, or any other atmospheric differences that might give an attack away.

In a decidedly defensive maneuver, one ball of blood I use to form a shield around Karnariel. Its thicker consistency should slow any attempted attack down enough for him to react. The other ball of blood transforms into blood arrows around me. They rotate at high speeds providing both a shield and a split second counter should Valkyrie reappear.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Flame
Shadow Hold

The skies look grim. The fleet of ships moved back but Karnariel has gone and attacked Valkyrie. Lexianna looks spent and it looks like everyone else is still trying to pull survivors of the first barrage together. I'm still unsteady but someone has to back Karnariel.

I yank my daggers from their sheaths on my thighs and slit each palm. Concentrating on the fight above, I wait. My own blood trickles out and forms a ball at my side, ready to assist. My breathing deepens and I allow my senses to sharpen until I feel it. Her blood. I can use it.

It's difficult to sense all of her blood, I'm sure due to distance and fatigue, but I can sense some and that's enough for now. The blood I can sense, hardens under my command. I yank it straight from her veins. The blood sticks out of the body like barbs, skewering in several directions before liquifying again and dripping down to me. Her blood forms a second ball at my side. Now I'm armed, and ready.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Flame

I cough loudly as the rubble is raised above us. My ears are ringing and probably won’t stop for a while. The cons of having exceptional hearing. At first I’m too stunned to move and I just stare at the dust and destruction. Then I remember we don’t have time for this. I spot my brother across the way with Baruss. He seems fine. I don’t see Gaul. That worries me. I do see Smough. That eases some of the worry. There’s a half standing wall in between me and my brother. Smough is next to it.
Pushing myself up, I sway unsteadily on my feet. My balance is butchered due to my ears being impaired. Still I manage an unsteady jog over. “You okay?” I lean heavily on the half wall that is leaning heavily to the side.

Blaze
My ears are ringing. My head is aching. Why do I sign up for this shit? Baruss asks me something but I can’t hear anything. Good news I spot my sister leaning on a wall. She seems fine, all things considered. I pull my special headset out my jacket pocket and the lens drops down. I look up to see Lexianna hovering with a stranger in possession of an alarming amount of fire power. There’s the bad news. I can’t hear Scarlett but I can command her, “Enlarge.” The lens adjusts and zooms in. This is worse than I thought. “Who’s the mega babe?” I point at the absolute vision that hovers menacingly above us. I ask this of Baruss even though I’ll probably only hear half of what he says if anything at all. I fiddle with the headset to compensate for my hearing.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Flame

I note where the three Hands are. I move slightly off to the side for a few reasons. One to make myself more visible and hopefully draw one out, and two to have more visibility so I can draw one out. I palm a dagger and cut into each hand, the blood welling in the air behind me.

The blood I let loose stretches creating a barrier around me. It forms an axis like the path of electrons in an atom with me as the nucleus. One of the axis suddenly surges forward and slashes at a Hand. Drops of blood splatter freely and Mark that Hand.

I will know that one's movements no matter what. I palm my other dagger and my blood rushes forward, targeting the nearest enemy.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Flame

My ear flicks when I hear Lexianna mention splitting up. I cut a look at my brother and we have an entire conversation with just our eyes and a few minute gestures.

Blaze: I'm not going anywhere I still feel slightly like shit.
Me: You still look slightly like shit, which is an improvement.
An eye roll here.
Blaze: I'm going to hang out, keep the ladies company.
An ear flick, indicating Sai, Raia, and Stella.

I nod curtly. That means... I shoot my hand in the air waving widely. "If we're splitting up I'll go with Smough and Gaul!" I lean forward slightly, my eyes going wide puppy dog style, my tail gently swaying behind me.

Blaze

That light did more to zap my strength than I'd like to openly admit. If I didn't fear eventual retribution I'd kiss Lexianna for her help. Looks like I'm not the only one who got hit hard though. Sia is no longer handling her liquor well and I feel sorry for the plant that got the brunt of it. I lean back in my chair a little, my eyes rolling over to the kid. "Hey you wanna learn how to summon shit?"

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Flame

I feel the displacement of the air and duck. I snatch the arrow out of the air with my tail and return fire. Even with my tail, I throw the arrow with accuracy and precision. The arrow piercing right through the 8th Hand's eye but not embedding deep enough to puncture through the skull dealing a death blow. I draw my daggers and flip through the air, landing right behind the partially blinded foe. I strike hard and quick knowing exactly where to slash to keep them down. I take out both Achilles heels. Then jab the pressure points along the spine for good measure.

I flip again, this time landing on Hand 2 who is engaged with Queen Stella. I land with their head trapped firmly between my thighs. All I have to do is twist and I can break their neck. Instead I slam both daggers down in either arm, tearing through the muscle. They won't be moving those arms. Then I yank my weight backwards, riding the Hand down until right before we hit the floor. I roll off and land in a crouch. Searching for the next target.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Blaze

I'm bored to tears. I always have been in Council meetings. The Elders and the magistrates always needing their egos to be handled with care. There's only so much of their bickering and posturing I'd allow in any meeting before telling them all with absolute authority where they could stick it. Diplomatically speaking of course.

Yeah, yeah better tomorrow. I raise my glass in toast with everyone else and hurriedly dig into the food. The food is delicious. Exactly the kind of good meal I needed but it doesn't quiet the restlessness I feel growing. Now that we're in planning mode it gives me time to sit and think. And unfortunately the only thing I can think about is women.

How long have we been here? A week? No definitely more. Great blazing balls of fire! I need to get laid.

My eyes lazily rove over to Lexianna. It's not happening. Never on this plane of existence or another but it's a fun thought. It's not just a no because she's not interested, it's a no because I got 99 problems but Galen ain't one. I need to keep it that way. I dabble in nihilism but I'm not interested in my name being blinked out of history.

I roll my eyes over to Sia. I have a feeling she'd play ball. The problem is even if Razz was cool with that it'd introduce a weird group dynamic that I'm not trying to figure out right now.

Raia. She's clearly Sia's and I have no idea if she has any interest in a male whatsoever. Then again everything out of her mouth has basically been hostile so...my eyes snap back to my plate and stay. I stab a piece of this delicious fish and bite. I don't let myself take a second look at the queen. She's got minor written all over her and I'm not dying here in this problem riddled reality.

My ear twitches and I sigh. Inferna's words before I left still irk me. Find a wife she said. No, find us a queen she said. I don't do the whole dating/courtship thing but if I don't make an effort to make a choice she'll line up "prospects".

The sooner we find our friends and leave the better.

Flame

I look at my brother. He looks pensive, his mind far from here, brooding. I can't tell why. the food is delicious but even so I don't like long stretches of silence. Perhaps our last topic has been exhausted, which means...

"So is that all there is on Valkyrie?"

My brother spears a piece of fish. "If so I think we should move on to the toughie. Everyone spit out what they know of the False One. We need to get my dove and the big guy back."

I look at my brother quizzically and he clarifies while rolling his eyes "Nevermore and Razz." He shoves the fish in his mouth and goes back to brooding.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Blaze

I watch the young would be Queen. She's a tiny girl, even so she must be skillful with a sword as she bares scars and isn't dead. The scars on her face don't detract from her lovely features. If anything I think they add something, they're a testament to unspoken experience. What really draws my attention are her eyes. They are absolutely striking. Bright red like a maraschino cherry. A strong opposition to my dark crimson eyes.

She holds herself befitting her rank but that outburst from Karnariel could undermine her authority. In private if they have an understanding is one thing, but in a room full of her powerful would be subjects is another. She didn't bat an eyelash but she didn't reprimand him either. I drum my fingers lightly on the table. Honestly it's not my place to judge how another royal wants to rule but this could mark the start of an uphill battle for her.

I reluctantly pull my gaze from the young royal and say," This Valkyrie sounds interesting. I'd love to meet her." I smirk as I add, "See if she could take my weight." I look from Karnariel to Gaul, "Either of you object to more back up?"

I sense more than see Flame shift in her seat next to me. Knowing where I go she goes.