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| Eh?; [p] Yaksha | |
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| Topic Started: Wed Nov 25, 2009 2:41 am (127 Views) | |
| Praih | Wed Nov 25, 2009 2:41 am Post #1 |
 
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Praih Mohera, once a proud Star Elf, of the clan Aeylianius, once ambitious and studious, once revered and adored, was now little more than a homeless wanderer. Self-destructive and confused, the boy of more than a century wandered the ruins of an ancient city, lost in thought, and in reality. Dreams, for the Star Elves, were things held sacred, and something that Praih had forced himself into, and refused to come out of. Physically, he wandered the plains of Imythess, separated from his ancient homeland, but in his mind, he was wandering the endless fields of Dal Quor, still connected somehow with the kin who had forsaken him. Praih was confused. He assumed perhaps he should be feeling anger, or resentment, towards his people, but he simply felt detached, lonely, betrayed. The Star Elves were an overly reserved people, he figured. Thrown out of his family for enjoying life? Why should he need to lead a boring life in order to reach inner peace? Screwing up his face, Praih reluctantly dragged himself into reality as he felt his stomach rumble loudly. He hadn't eaten since the previous night, and he had been walking all day. He didn't even know where he was. Examining his surroundings, Praih found himself to be surrounded by old, decaying buildings. There were no signs of life here, and the Star Elf felt a foreboding sense of doom hanging around him like a thick fog. It was late into the afternoon, and in the west, a burning disc slowly lowered itself to rest behind distant mountains. |
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Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:41 pm Post #2 |
 
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The screams started a moment later, shattering the unearthly silence of the ruins. It was a cry of unspeakable agony, of pain and fear. There were several moments of silence, followed by another loud cry, this one drawn out almost into a groan at the end. The sound of ragged breathing filled the ruins, seeming almost to issue from the buildings themselves, followed quickly by the sharp report of flesh on flesh, and a laugh of pure dark malice. The ragged breathing turned into cries for mercy, a voice on the verge of hysterical tears. "I don't know what you want from me, I don't know how to help! All you said was to-" There was another loud crack, and a cry of childlike glee that mingled with the cries of pain. Finally, a soft voice issued from the ruins, the auditory equivalent of permafrost. "I know what I said, little elf. I'm the one who said it. I said that as long as you cooperated, you'd be fine. You've been given no chance to cooperate yet, so this is simply so you understand the price of noncompliance." There was silence for a moment, before another sharp report filled the air. "I won't lie, that one was for fun." The ragged cries had devolved into short, stacatto bursts of tears. The voice issued again, sounding almost soothing. "Shush, shush...the questions are going to begin, so you'd best prepare for the real pain if you can't answer. Take a few breaths, calm down." There was a pause, before he spoke again, almost off-hand. "Your eyelids have such a pretty birthmark, my dear. Those little pentagrams...I've a mirror, if you want to see. I'm sure people have told you that before, but nothing quite compares to seeing it yourself..." |
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| Praih | Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:26 am Post #3 |
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As Praih heard the cries of agony, a chill was sent down his spine, making him regret allowing himself to fade from his dream-like state. They were cries unlike any he had heard before, yet the voice seemed strangely familiar, and it was as if he had heard those terrible screams before, perhaps in a dream. They were cries of pain, of terror, of sorrow, of regret. Someone was being tortured. What the Hell had he stumbled across? Praih's pointed ears shuddered as another voice could be heard, one masked by the muffled screams, and it was perhaps more haunting than the tortured shrieks themselves. It was a voice unlike any he had heard before, one sheathed in malice and darkness, inhuman in nature, and mingled with the essence of dark, forbidden magic. The Star Elf continued his march through the ruins, propelled by something not unlike fear. He forced himself to move forward, one foot before the other, moving towards the source of the sound, if a source even existed. Perhaps it was his own mind producing the noise. Perhaps he was still locked within his own dreams. Perhaps he was going crazy. Perhaps he was dead. |
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Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:53 pm Post #4 |
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Yaksha stood before a young elf, smiling happily, and with his hand on her chin. Tears were streaming from her face slowly, and Yaksha shook his head. "Now, now, now...let's stop with the crying; it's breaking my heart. Time for questions, time for answers. I think, since we've been so harsh already, we should start simple." He stepped back, letting her head loll down before he spoke in a ruminative tone. "What's your name, my child? It wouldn't be right to do all of this to someone without getting to know them a little bit." He stepped close, pressing a cold dagger to her cheek. "Speak up now; I'm dying to hear it." She looked up at him with mingled fear and disgust, and it was clear she was contemplating making some attempt to flee. Before she could even move, a large, flabby hand grabbed the back of her neck, and a harsh voice issued from behind her. "Answer him, stupid elf. Or don't, I don't really care; either way I get to have my fun. But if you sit here in silence much longer, I'm going to lose my temper." Black lightning crackled in his hand, and seemed to course through her body, bringing slight twitches to her form. "That was a mild dose. Should loosen your tongue." The elf let out one more tear, before speaking in a hitched sob. "My name is Selynn. Please, why can't you let me go? Why me?" The hand on her neck squeezed hard enough to elicit a cry of pain, and the black lightning was charging. "You don't get to ask-" Yaksha's hand rose haltingly, and he spoke in a soothing voice. "No, my friend. She has a right to answers, and this one is hardly anything to kill over." He seemed almost to glide towards her, crouching and speaking in a soothing whisper. "I'm a curious man, Selynn. I like to know things. I think that, as I learn more, I become capable of more. I don't need much, merely to know about your elf society, and their culture. Do you drink wine more than ale? Do you eat meat more than bread? Any little thing that might help me to better understand your people...if you could help me, I would be so grateful." |
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| Praih | Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:57 pm Post #5 |
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With a gasp of surprise, Praih turned a corner, finding himself directly in the scene of some terrible torture. The Star Elf's hand flew to his mouth, suppressing a scream that died in his throat, afraid to come any further. His body had gone rigid, his muscles unable to contract or loosen, his joints glued firmly in place. On his face was a blank look of terror, and his mind whirled, a thousand red lights going off at once... ...And he hadn't even identified Selynn Aeylianius yet, his very own sister, as the one being tortured. He only saw two figures, terrible and intimidating, giving off some powerful stench of darkness, of vileness, the stench of the very center of the Abyss. Staring, his body suddenly unhinged, and he needed to put his hand against a building to keep himself from collapsing. Praying he hadn't attracted the attention of the torturers, he regained his grace and crept forwards, keeping his body as low as possible, and straining his throat and lungs, trying to stifle his shaky breathing. As he neared the trio, the feeling of fear only grew in him, and he got a better look of the targets of his curiosity. The first, and most noticeable, was a skeletal demon, a dagger pressed to the elf's face. Its voice came out like the hypnotic hissing of a great cobra, poised to strike, and the figure had an air of command and power about him that made Praih wish he could simply disappear. The second of the monsters was a great, hulking fiend, the surface of its body ridged and bloated with many layers of thick fat. The creature was humanoid in appearance, but the Star Elf needed no more than a glance to know it was something dragged from the hellish Abyss. Praih's heart nearly stopped as his eyes fell upon the third member of the group, a familiar face indeed. The familiar face was his own gentle, beautiful sister, one of the family who had had him cast out of the family, but he held nothing against her. Nearly fainting, Praih gasped for air, crouching and clutching a handful of rotted earth, squeezing it and forcing it to sift through his gnarled fingers. His eyes wild, his heart pounding, Praih stepped forward. "Let her go. I'll answer your questions, God damn you." |
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Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:52 pm Post #6 |
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Yaksha turned slowly towards the voice, and the glint of his teeth in the dim light seemed almost sinister. He moved towards the elf like a puppet with cut strings, and there was a soft, polite chuckle coming from him. Despite his aura of power and command, and even despite his frightening appearance, he sounded surprisingly down-to-earth, not the sort who would've gone for needless displays of power. "We didn't CHOOSE you, Praih. You aren't even an active member of this society; you were cast out by this woman, were you not? This is her consequence, her fate for rejecting you. This woman, this elf...she doesn't care about you. Right now, she'd say anything to go free...yet I still doubt she'd say the three simple words you always wished to hear from her." He stepped towards Selynn, and spoke in a voice of mock concern. "Can you see him, dear? It's Priah. Your brother. He's here to save you, here to take your place. He can make all the pain go away, make all the questions stop. He's willing to give his own life, to save yours." The blade pressed against her throat, and he spoke in slow, solemn tones. "He's sacrificing himself, Selynn. For you, for the one who cast him out. I don't think just anyone would do that. Which is why I'll make you a promise, from the deepest depths of my humanity. Look at your brother; don't just stare at him, LOOK at him. See how he trembles. See how badly he wants to run...and realize he's still standing, right there. For YOU, Selynn." Her head rose slowly, and she stared at Priah, a look of sadness and pity on her face. She simply stared at him, and she finally whispered his name, just loud enough for him to hear. The lich chuckled softly, and pressed the blade harder against her throat. She gave a moan of pain, and her lips opened slightly. "Five words, Selynn. I want you to say five words to your brother...and you can BOTH leave. I want you to tell him you're sorry. Tell your brother you love him." The elf's eyes grew wide, and she looked at Priah with silent apology, before she looked away. Her voice was hurt, but it was clear she'd made her choice. "I can't. I won't." |
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| Praih | Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:25 pm Post #7 |
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Anger welled in the Star Elf's throat as his heart skipped a beat. The four words that came out of his sisters mouth were not the words he was hoping for, not the words he had silently begged for her to mutter. His fists clenched, and he felt, long, untrimmed fingernails did into the palms of his hands, drawing blood. His eyes were wet and shimmering, and his face was scrunched up into a feral scowl. He felt a warm, thick liquid pooling beneath his fingernails, and running down his fingers, dripping off his knuckles, but he felt no pain. He felt detachment, sorrow, and blinding rage towards the fiendish sorcerer, and he felt tears running down his cheeks, as his heart fluttered, tearing itself away from his chest. But he didn't feel pain. "Say it!" He roared at his sister, as his right hand drifted towards the blade at his belt, that he only had clumsy control over, and little know-how. "Say it or he'll kill us both. Just say it, dammit!" he said, his teeth grinding between great, sobbing breaths, his fingernails continuing to dig into his palms, puncturing layers of skin and flesh and drawing a torrent of blood. "...And... if you won't say it for me, Selynn, please, please say it for yourself..." he muttered, his words barely audible to the girl, emitted softly, and beneath his loud, shuddering breaths. |
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Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:47 pm Post #8 |
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Yaksha looked up, his entire form giving off an appearance of surprise as he rose to his full height. His hands were spread wide, and he spoke in a tone of insulted innocence. "Praih! Never ONCE did I say either of your lives was in jeopardy! I may be a demon, but I'm not a monster. I don't kill people for no reason. She may wish for death, she may even beg for it, but I'm not going to kill her. No, no, Praih...this is her penance. She rejected you, she ruined your life, and now she's paying the price. Not in blood, not with her life...but simply with words, with pain. Your sister won't be treated FAIRLY, by any means; but then again, was what she did to you FAIR, Praih?" He stepped close, and spoke in a syllabant hiss. "Selynn can't say it because she knows it isn't true. You were always the baby brother, the annoying little kid who was always in her way. She never cared for you, never cared about what YOU wanted. But now she has a chance to finally make up for what she's done. A chance to show, in more than just words, what rejecting you did to her." He waved a hand to the star elf, hissing softly. "Look at her, Praih. Tell me she doesn't deserve to pay for what she did to you. Tell her it's not her fault. Lie to her face, like she won't for you." |
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| Praih | Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:13 pm Post #9 |
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As the demon spoke, Praih's anger was only heightened. Who the hell was this fiend? How did he know so much? The Star Elf screwed his eyes shut, refusing to tell Yaksha that he was right. His heart seemed to have reattached itself, and the anger had subsided, giving way to hurt and shame. He knew that the Fiend spoke nothing but the truth, but he couldn't admit it. He didn't have the guts to admit it. He didn't have the heart to admit it. Turning his back to Yaksha, the scowl returned to Praih's face, and he spoke to the demon in a harsh whisper. "I won't lie to you. She doesn't deserve this. I was better off without that place, and they're better off without me. They were right to throw me out." He took a few steps away from the demon before turning again, looking past Yaksha, and to his sister, who refused to look at him. Shaking his head, he spoke again. "I don't get it. I thought that... Even after this, I was still your little brother. I guess I was wrong. I guess I really was that rotten..." he muttered, shrugging. Waving his arm dismissively at the trio, he spoke again, this time addressing Yaksha. "If she doesn't want to be my sister, I have no reason to care. She had her chance," he said, the scowl he wore contorting further, his face now more bestial than human. His eye twinkled as he spoke. "If she wants to torture herself, it's not my duty to stop her." |
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Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:26 pm Post #10 |
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Yaksha leaned close, and spoke in a hurried whisper, the grin on his face almost taunting. "Praih...she hurt you. She abandoned you, forsook you! She wanted to be happy, didn't care if that meant hurting her own flesh and blood. She'd kill her own parents, if it would hurry her to happiness. She's a selfish, heartless woman that ruined everything you held dear, because she wanted you out of the way. Praih...nothing we do would be 'torture'. Simply...vengeance. And that's not always something to be feared." He held the blade out, hilt first, and leaned close. "Just once, Praih. See her blood flow, see the look of fear on her face. I guarantee, you'll see that she deserves to lose every drop of blood you take from her." |
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| Praih | Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:24 pm Post #11 |
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There was a minute that Praih stood there, his thoughts and emotions whirling, as he stares into the hypnotic surface of the dagger that Yaksha had extended to him. He couldn't concentrate, he couldn't think. A thousand conflicts, a million contradictions formed a vortex in his mind, keeping him from thinking straight. He was about to scream, to rip himself away from reality for the last time, when, like the ring of a tiny bell, a ripple of clarity appeared in his restless head, and his mission became clear. His revolution had been made physically apparent, for his face was suddenly at rest, his eyes flew open, and his shuddering stopped. As if from no where, a smile crept across his face, spreading like wildfire. What was a harsh smirk became a cruel grin as his bright red lips unfurled, revealing his sharp white teeth behind them. The Star Elf took the dagger in hand, and stepping towards his sister, he spoke to her one last time, gave her one last choice. "This is your last chance," he assured her, "You can lie to me, and tell me you're sorry, or you can die. What shall it be? Your pride, or your life?" he whispered, bringing the cool blade of the dagger to her throat. Closing her eyes, the girl refused to speak, simply shaking her head. "Very well," Praih replied, "Last words?" Again, silence. "So... be it," Praih muttered, screwing his eyes shut. He ran the tip of the dagger along her neck, his hand shaking as he brought it to her jugular. She whimpered a little, feeling Death hovering above her, waiting for her brother to make the kill. "You... had your chance," he said, softening his face once again, and staring into her eyes. He plunged the tool into her throat, and listened to his sister's gurgling scream die before it could really resonate. He averted his gaze as he left the weapon stuck in her, ignoring the blood that spurted forth, dying her throat and clothing, and pooling beneath her. The Star Elf fell to his knees, panting and gasping for air, before looking at Yaksha again, his face once again twisted in disgust and hatred. He had taken a life, his first life, and it was the life of his sister. |
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Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:28 pm Post #12 |
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Yaksha chuckled softly, and seemed to glide towards the elf, drawing the dagger from her throat and looking at it appraisingly. The demon was already waddling towards Praih, its folds creating a sickening sound as it grew close enough to lay a hand on his shoulder, smiling happily. "Not bad, kid. A bit fast, but we're all ametuers when we begin, eh?" He squeezed gently, then turned to Yaksha and gave what looked like a haphazard salute, before slinking off behind one of the buildings, chuckling nastily. Before his laughter had even vanished, Yaksha stepped closer, holding the dagger out to him. "Taste it, Praih. See what your sister's sin has done to her blood. See how her corruption and hatred flows through her very veins. I'm sure you'll find yourself pleasently surprised..." The dagger seemed almost to whisper to him, the dark surface of the blade shifting enticingly in the light. The lich's eyes were alive with dark blue flames that seemed to jump and dance happily, as he let out a soft hiss of approval. "Yessss, my child. Taste it. Show me what you've learned..." |
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| Praih | Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:07 am Post #13 |
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Praih sat in a heap on the ground, staring up at Yaksha, who extended the dagger to him like a mother trying to coax her child to take medicine. The lich once again used his hypnotic, snake-like presence to his advantage, hissing and whispering to the Star Elf, who was transfixed by the red fluid that dripped from the dagger's blade before his face. As if in a trance, Praih complied, sitting up in a kneeling position and running his tongue along the warm blade, lapping up the thick blood like a dying dog desperately trying to quench its thirst in a mud puddle. He savored the taste of blood in his mouth. It was salty, and had a metallic tinge to it, as if he was drinking liquid iron. Gulping it down, the Star Elf collapsed once more, groaning a little as his stomach gave a low rumble, signifying its distaste in blood. "Happy?" he asked, as he suddenly became aware of a shooting pain in his hands, and noticed blood still flowing freely from the puncture wounds he had made with his long, blade-like fingernails. "I still don't understand... Why am I here? Why did this happen? Is it really a coincidence?" he mumbled, voicing his confusion. Everything had happened so quickly, and he wasn't sure he understood any of it. He wasn't even sure he was awake anymore. |
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Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:12 am Post #14 |
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Yaksha let out a soft, pleased chuckle, and leaned closer. "EVERYTHING is coincidence, my boy. There's no reason anything has to happen the way it does; all of the world is chaos, all of it mad and unpredictable. There's no purpose, no ultimate truth, beyond that things are crazy. I was just as likely to grab some random elf as your sister; just as likely you'd never heard what went on here. Life loves its little surprises, its constant coincidences, all sliding together to make a collage of coincidences. There is no sense, no rhyme, no reason." He lay two fingers below the elf's chin, pushing it up gently, and speaking in a cold whisper. "More. Clean it off. I doubt you can really make any decisions from a single taste..." His words rang in the elf's ears, almost drowning all thought, as his skeletal hand held the blade closer, for a second taste. "Trust me, Praih...I'll never steer you astray." |
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