Fantasy {𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖋𝖎𝖌𝖚𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓: 𝕸𝖔𝖗𝖘 𝖁𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖙 𝕺𝖒𝖓𝖎𝖆}

[mothspit]

Ajax smirked delightfully as Selene took her spot next to him, and watched as she took and then smoked the cigar. The taste was extremely bitter-- Possibly Cuban, as most luxury cigars were. That was one of many upsides to being apart of the legion of the undead; You could smoke, drink, and intake any manner of substances, and still have a liver the next day. Though, the harder stuff never appealed to Ajax. It had once before, in his youth. With maturity came a more sophisticated personal taste, it seemed.

He delicately took his turn with the cigar, his fingers lighting grazing over her palm as he took it from her. This time, smoke trickled from his nose, and with it, his gaze narrowed; In this light, his face only half-hidden in shadow, he looked not unlike a chilling arctic serpent. Small flecks of snow carried into the gazebo on a wave of cold air, catching on his dark hair and suit. Where there was once anguish, there was now intrigue. Those same glassy eyes now scanning every feature of Selene's face, he was strangely alluring. Similar to how he had treated Eva, he regarded the dark-haired beauty with an incline of his head, bowing like a man showing humility to win over a potential mate. And how nice of her to indulge in his ego; Something he had never said 'no' to yet.

A small, saddened pout formed on his lips, taking in another mouthful of smoke before offering the cigar to her once more. Forcing the smoke through his nose with a thoughtful sigh, he's eyes wandered past her, glazing over the frozen koi pond behind her. The fish were removed prior to winter, as Ajax was not an unreasonable man when it came to lesser creatures, but something had evidently gotten itself stuck there in the ice. Something having since decayed some time ago, leaving behind nothing but an assortment of bones trapped beneath the ice. His mind wandered to Adrian's phone call just moments ago, and suddenly the pain behind his eyes became a little more.. authentic. If only slightly.

"..I knew her, his wife. Many years ago. She was like many of us," He found himself saying, eyes transfixed on those bones, "Strong. Powerful. Perhaps to a fault."

Suddenly, he was envisioning her there; Standing on the ice. He was too; Younger, and filled with so much anger. Jealousy. Emotions he still clung to till this day, even if it wasn't as extreme. They were skating there one winter-- A winter like this, on a night like this, under a moon like this. Happy birthday, my love.

He snaps back to reality, looking to Selene with a newfound sense of apathy. Gone was that strained look in his eyes, now replaced with his usual statue-like charm. Men like Ajax couldn't love, at least not really-- But he wanted to. He wanted to try. And if he had ever gotten close, perhaps that was the grief was feeling now; An itch he could never scratch, let alone understand. Such a concept was foreign to him, and that alone was painful.

"..You would think, after these years a man would move on." He muttered, making it no more clear who he was referring to. Himself, or Adrian. "I'll pass on those... kind words.

"Now, you must indulge me," A sly grin overtakes his expression, a hand reaching up to brush a stray hair behind her ear, "And be honest with me, darling. Do you care for the festivities? I've heard some objections already, but I think our young Daedric puts on quite the show, no?"

sprouhtt ​

 

[sprouhtt]

Location: Garden
Actions: Smoking a cigar with Ajax
Interaction: Ajax mothspit
Mentioned: N/A

Selene watched as Ajax took his turn with the cigar, and took in its toxins, but his body could never experience the horrid outcomes of it all. Ajax wasn’t a bad looking man, he was rather handsome in his own ways, but Selene never allowed a mans looks to be her way of judging him. She judged a man based on his character and how he presents his character. Ajax was a man of mystery to her; so many women feared yet adored him. Men, on the other hand, don’t see to cross him; afraid of what the outcome might be. Selene, on the other hand, has never shown fear to a man after her rebirth. Selene never forgave herself for her death, she knew that she allowed her ex-husband to win when she threw herself into deaths never-ending darkness.

Selene wondering what’s he could possibly be staring at behind her; his eyes seemed to wander. She didn’t want to ruin whatever moment he was having behind her, because she knew that look better than anyone. Ajax was stuck in his own thoughts, pondering about the past events that happened in his life. Selene is not ignorant, she sees the look in his eyes and she begins to wonder whether the woman who passed away meant more to him than it did to his friend? “She sounded like quite the woman, for you to be describing her in such high words,” Selene said as she gave a slight smile but then it quickly disappeared.

she took his offer and retrieved the cigar from his fingers and took it in. This time, when she blew out, she made a circle with the smoke before popping it with her finger. Watching as it dispersed into the air.

Selene was a bit distracted from her light cloud in front of her that she flinched at the touch of Ajax’s hand near her face. He was fixing her hair for her by tucking it behind her ear. He was sly, and so was she. It was always hard for her to trust a man, and when he begins whispering into her ear, she doesn’t want to allow her judgement to cloud her. For as long as she has been rebirthed, Selene has dominated all men that she has come in contact with. Never allowing them to touch her unless she gives permission. Ajax was the first, Selene felt like she allowed her to guard to be down. But spending this time with Ajax has made her forget about building a wall.

“Yes, I believe so, quite the act,” Selene responded as she finally turned to Ajax.

Selene couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle when he asked her for her own opinion about the festivities. “You are asking me for my opinion? My, my, Ajax; are you alright love?” She joked a bit.

“Festivities is what keeps us hanging from the thread that connects us to humanity. You and other people throw festivity’s to keep a certain atmosphere going. I do not mind it at all, to be able to get dressed, enjoy some drinks and do it all over again for the next.” Selene told him, this time she took her free hand and laid it gently on his thigh. “They are enjoyable with the right people,” Selene stated with a soft smile.

 

[Phayne]

Can't see me

Mook-LandStrider
Eldris smirked as he noticed Eva step back, her attempt almost thrown array as she just about avoided tripping on the step. Her initial response to his questioning would have normally ignited a far different reaction from him; one far less civil had it been anybody else or during other circumstances, however considering that he was not meant to be down here he decided to quell the urge to confront her. Of course, there was also the fact that Father may not have taken too kindly to him, had he decided to act on his instinct. Biting his tongue and calming the tickling annoyance within himself, Eldris decided to play nice.

"Just making friendly conversation, you have no need to be wary of me" he replied, though the smirk was still present as he took another step forward, the light of the nearby torch now revealing him completely to her. "It seems we share a similar opinion of Father's parties, I too am not much of a fan" he added, not even the slightest hint of a lie present in his voice. "Though if I am being honest, it is not the debauchery or Opulence that deters me, not even in the slightest. Provided there is enough stimuli, I could never get bored" he laughed. "That being said I do find the repetitiveness to be quite infuriating. Especially when it comes to those pest cosying up with us Dygarians".. he paused, ".. oh forgive me, I didn't mean you of course" a faint chuckle escaped Eldris, though his eyes remained fixed upon Eva, however despite appearing to make eye contact with her, it felt as if she was looking through him rather than at him. Eldris twitched slightly in annoyance. "I'm just not a fan of all the 'ass kissing' that seems to occur during these kind of parties, nor the borish sport that sweet little Daedric seems to enjoy. You understand right?"

Rather then getting her to stay and talk further, Eva just as easily as she appeared had just as easily made her intentions clear. "Ah, fair enough. Who am I to keep you away from your destination" Though before he could move out of the way, she had managed to slip past him.

"I didn't think Father was into the 'feisty' ones" he muttered to himself as he watched and waited for Eva to be out of sight before he made an attempt to return to Winona's room.

[/COLOR][/B]



​

Can't see me

 

[Mook-LandStrider]

As she stepped past him she realized rather quickly that she was lost, the tunnels stretched out in several directions and even her keen sense of direction and purpose didn't lend her any hand. As she stood there for a minute deciding which direction to go she began to reflect upon what Eldris had said to her. He was right and perhaps he shared more in common with her than she would like to admit. She fancied herself to be a unique individual in some respects and to personally tie herself to the likeness of others made her feel a little at ends. Finally she decided upon a way to progress and turned down the same passage Eldris had, her footsteps slow and meaning full as she crept along trying to find a sign that she was going the right way. Coming upon a door she opened it to find nothing inside of interest to her.

Looking to the ground she saw a trail of blood moving down the passage way and immediately tied it towards as fresh delivery to her laboratory. With her hopes peaked ever so slightly she began to follow it down the passage way before coming upon the door to where Winona was. She could smell the scent of fresh blood but was entirely unaware of what was behind the door. In her mind she thought that it could be her lab. The distance felt right and the door looked roughly the same to the one she was used to. As she put her hand on the door she hesitated for a second trying to remember which side of the passage the door was on only to realize she couldn't remember which direction she would have normally come from. Pursing her lips she pushed the unease out of her mind before opening the door up and looking inside.

She made no attempt to hide her presence from whomever was around, she didn't expect anyone to be inside her laboratory, only she soon realized that it wasn't her lab. Glancnig around she began to wonder where it was that she ended up. The smell of blood was still thick and intoxicating though she managed to keep it from overwhelming her. "Scheiße" She grumbled out as her eyes met the figures she had't heard talking before hand.

Mentions-
mothspit
Eldris
Phayne​

 

[IamaKittyKat]

James took another gulp of his whiskey before looking at Florence again. It seemed like she was about to say something, but she was interrupted by two vampires pushing past. Well then, they seem to be in a hurry. The young vampire frowned and muttered a quick, “Rude,” before looking back at the drunk female.

James shifted nervously as Florence seemed to study him. He had time to take a quick sip before she asked her question. Tensing, he could only let out a surprised, “What?” Fighting? The last time he fought was for survival, and he didn’t like to remember it. Swallowing thickly as she finished the statement about her family fighter, he could only guess that it was the man from the ‘show’ earlier. Her play punch only served to make him more anxious as he let out a nervous chuckle, and covered the spot with the hand not holding the drink.

The sly smile on her face made James lose his nervous one. He didn’t like where this was going, and sure enough, she made her request. Immediately, he started shaking his head as he responded, “No, sorry, I don’t fight anymore.” He said it quick, and with more nervous laughing, so he didn’t realize he had added the word ‘anymore’. Looking for a small distraction he raised his glass to his lips, only to lower it as he processed the rest of what she said.

Looking back at her, he had a confused/suspicious look on his face. “A secret? About me? Shouldn’t I already know it then?”

mothspit

 

[mothspit]

"..You're telling me Doriene, the Prince of Darkness, ruler of the Underground... has taken her as his unholy bride?"

The workspace was small-- Perhaps the size of a standard car garage, and had a second floor of the same size above it. On the first floor, it was evident the space was at one point a form of dungeon; Cells of iron bars and large padlocks lined one wall, only illuminated by a scarcity of flickering wall torches. On the other wall, an impressive collection of literature. All ancient tomes of religious and occult significance, and the accounts of witches in their ways of old magic. Something Winona was highly skilled in. A series of tall, wooden tables and melted candles were strewn about the middle of the room, all centered around a large iron cauldron. A fire had been lit beneath it, and the substance within it-- A dark bubbling soup-- was constantly being agitated by a spinning wooden spoon, moving on its own. On some of those tables, jars and bowls of unknown ingredients, some whose contents were more gruesome than others, as well as open tomes and books scattered about them.

The woman herself, Winona Oriasus, was pacing from table to table, flipping pages and adding ingredients to the bubbling pot as she saw fit. The person who had spoken to her, though, was none other than Johanna Manchester-- Calling from the inside of one of the cells, she carried in hand a lit cigarette, doing her best not to sully the expensive evening gown she was wearing on the dingy floors of the dungeon, clutching a fur coat around her shoulders. She was examining it curiously while Winona told her of some new whisperings from the dead, and couldn't believe what she had heard. It seemed that both Eldris and Eva had entered during the latter half of the conversation as they stealthily moved to the second floor-- Lined with bookshelves containing various other ingredients, with a cutout in the floor overlooking the cauldron from above. Further up, several yards into the ceiling, a metal grate leading to the outside world allowed for better ventilation of the smoking pot. Servants bringing in the several corpses piled them all into one of the cells, before traversing to the second floor. Below them, the center of the room was visible through a cutout in the floor, giving the perfect overhead view. They stood here in silence, awaiting further instruction yet to come.

"That's what I was told, yes," Winona replied, stepping around one of the wooden tables to toss a pinch of random spice into the cauldron, "There's been some rather nasty gossip among the dead."

"Gossip? So it isn't true, then?"

"Hard to say for certain, but no, I don't think it is. Doriene, despite his... rough exterior, is an emotional creature. Just like everyone else; Just like his father. The urge for companionship is not a foreign one to him. But, I've never heard of him taking on a friend, let alone bride."

Johanna anxiously puffed her cigarette, emerging from the cell to stand at the other side of the table, "I only ask because... well... This won't change anything, will it?"

Winona raised her head from the book in front of her, a brow raised, "Doriene's hold on this world isn't physical, only influential. He cannot stop what's to come next, even if He wanted to. Are you afraid, Johanna?"

"Perhaps slightly."

The witch couldn't help but laugh, "And yet this was of your fabrication, was it not? Don't tell me you've changed your mind."

"I'm not," Johanna protested, "I just... Worry how the Unholy will take it. Stealing away His bride and all. Should we ever... expire... I don't imagine He would treat us very kindly in the afterlife."

"All the more reason to not 'expire,' yes?" Winona smiled, holding up an open palm, "You did bring her to me, didn't you?"

Nodding, Johanna reached delicately into the inside of her luxurious fur coat. She carefully and slowly pulled some sort of smooth orb from the inside pocket; At first, in this lighting, it was hard to tell what she had produced, but as Eldris' and Eva's eyes adjusted to the low lighting, the finer details came to them, and they saw what Johanna had given her-- A skull. The bottom jaw was missing, and it had significant wear, as if it were decades old. Winona took the skull ever so gently in both palms, expelling a sigh of pure relief. Staring at it for a moment, she muttered, "..Hello, Gwenhwyfar."

"It seems that was all the fire left behind," Johanna said somberly, "Is it enough?"

"Oh, yes," Winona said breathlessly, "It's perfect. She's perfect."

"Good. You'll call for me when this is over, yes?" Johanna snuffed out the near-finished cigarette on the wooden table, and she began moving toward the door leading back out into the tunnels. Winona, surprised, gestured to all of the material she had prepared.

"Not sticking around for the fun part?" She asked pointedly, "It's not every day you witness necromancy firsthand, you know. It's a very delicate process that--"

"Which is why I wish you great success," Johanna chuckled nervously, "She and I don't.. We wouldn't get along. My face shouldn't be one of the first she sees."

"..Alright. We'll meet up soon after."

With that, the elder vampire sauntered out of the room, the heavy wooden door closing behind her. As far as Winona was aware, she was entirely alone. But if all things went smoothly, she wouldn't be for long. Holding the skull in one hand, and an old tome in the other, she approached the bubbling cauldron. Without needing to touch it, or utter any kind of spell, the wooden spoon stirring the contents ceased, and rose only to clatter to the floor. The substance dripping from it sizzled when it hit the cold floors of the dungeon, evaporating into a deathly smell. The young witch held the fragile skull above the center of the pot, and when she let it go, it hung there in the air, hovering as if it weighed nothing.

She flipped a few pages. Letting go of the leather bound tome, it too hovered there in the air. Then, she produced a knife from one of the tables, wasting no time to drag its blade across her open palm. The blood, without functioning regulatory systems, seeped from the wound in a thick, dark syrup. It pooled in her hand, and she slowly turned it over, the viscous liquid dripping onto the skull...

Phayne Mook-LandStrider

Spoiler: ooc

welcome to this arc's official title. this is part 1 of 2-ish. you dont have to just sit and watch, im very flexible if there's something you'd like to see happen. lets go!!))

Ajaxius shook his head with a faint smile. It was hard for him to put it into words, but Selene had a level of confidence that Eva lacked; He could admire that. It wasn't easy parading around the wealth, the violence, and the intimidating atmosphere if you didn't have the grit for it. And while he was no stranger to an abundance of beautiful woman pining for his affection, Selene was one of few he encountered with that same grit. Even the way she spoke to him... He wished others could speak to him with that same confidence. It'd save him the headache of suffering through an onslaught of ass-kissing at any given moment. With power comes responsibility, and all that. But, he looked back to her when she mentioned how this woman must have truly been something-- And she was. In the worst way.

"..Her time came for her, like time will for all things. Though it was some years ago, the wound is till fresh. He will understand that too, with enough patience." Again, it wasn't clear who he was talking about-- Adrian had well over a hundred years to grieve, but instead holed himself up in his little house of God, alone. While Ajax was busy building an empire. Both coped differently, but neither had really taken the time to move on properly.

Feigning a comedic look of surprise, he chuckled again when she teased him about asking for her opinion, "Am I that heartless? Maybe I enjoy listening to your voice, darling."

Normally, he'd consult matters truly important to him with those most trusted-- His daughter, for instance. Emmulsia was one of few on his arm that was a real ally. Of course, he trusted next to no one, for his own safety. But, when it came to the pleasures and splendors that came with insurmountable wealth, and an eternity to spend it all, he'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't enjoy the oo's and ah's every time he walked in the room. Anything to stroke his own ego. But tonight, he hadn't asked to hear Selene pine for him further-- Just to take his mind of the visions of the past. In a sick way, he understood how Adrian felt; And that revelation disgusted him. He refused to be likened to that lunatic.

Luckily, it seemed the woman before him was all the more eager to help him forget such troubles. Eyes trailing down to the hand she had placed on his leg, another mischievous grin was tugging at the corner of his lips. Ajax was no fool; He understood Selene's intentions perfectly. Though, he wasn't satisfied with promises of mischief alone. It took no effort to attain. Gently taking the beautiful woman's hand in his, his fingers curling around her palm, he brought it to his lips for a kiss. His lips were icy to the touch, having slightly turned blue from the cold. It didn't hurt him-- Being dead helped with that. He lingered there for a moment, his eyes closing with her skin against his lips. When he finally opened them again, his eyes had become soft once more, like when he had been staring at the pond.

"..I couldn't agree more, Selene." He murmured, lazily tilting his head to gaze at her better, "You must forgive me. The one night of the year when I should be relaxing, and yet here I am, worried about how others are taking it. You here with me is very... comforting."

sprouhtt

Florence smirked delightfully, twirling the ends of her dress with another rowdy cackle. If only Winona were here with her-- She could explain it far better than Florence could, far too intoxicated to form a full coherent thought on her own. But it wouldn't stop her from trying. She removed the large sunglasses taking up most of her face, tucking them into her breast before setting her drink down on the tray of a servant as they passed. Thank god, it looked like she was done drinking.. for now. Like before, Florence's body began to hover just an inch or two above the floor, rising so that she and James were now the same height. She had caught that word-- 'Anymore.' It made her laugh. Seemed everything was making her laugh tonight.

"Anymore? Don't break my heart, big guy!" She giggled, crossing both arms over her chest with a cryptic, all-knowing grin. Truth be told, she wasn't necessarily wanting to see them fight to the death-- Daedric would have probably won that fight, anyway. But, her secret was no joke-- It was a pretty juicy secret, and if James did know it... well, Florence could only hope he had the stomach to handle it. He was going to need it.

"Oh? You just might, James. You just might," She nodded comedically "See, I'm a bit of a fortune teller in my spare time. And if you know what I know, I suppose there's no need to tell you. Enjoy the party, I'll see you around... If you're still alive, that is."

Florence's ethereal presence began to slowly recede into the crowd, like she was being pulled by a set of invisible hands. Her laughter faded out into the thumping music of the mansion, and soon she had slipped away, leaving behind nothing but a cryptic message in her stead. The hell did that mean? Florence was known to be as foreboding as her mother at times, but sheesh. Talk about a first impression. On the other side of the room the boxing ring, now freshly scrubbed down from the servants hard work, was setting up for it's next match. Daedric had reappeared as well, his loving mother by his side, and fresh bandages on his hands. With a snap of Emmulsia's fingers, servants brought out the next contestant-- This time, it was the same man that had flirted (and failed) with Selene earlier. It seemed the human fighters had been cycled out for these next round of brawls..

IamaKittyKat

 

[IamaKittyKat]

Her smirk was unnerving, but her cackle caused James to almost take a step back. He watched as she put her drink down, and actually took a step back when she began to float. She was even more intimidating.

His thoughts were derailed when she began to speak, and if his blood were moving, it would have ran cold. “I- I didn’t mean to say-” Cut off he simply listened to her talk, growing more panicked as she went. “What? Wait, what?!” What the hell did she mean, ‘if he survived?’ What exactly did she know? There was no use trying to follow her and demand answers, it seemed she had vanished in the crowd, and James was left alone and very confused.

Looking down, he contemplated what she had said. James couldn’t help but worry, even though there was no reason to believe her, or even think she was serious. After all, she was drunk. Closing his eyes and shaking his head out of his thoughts, although he was unable to shake away his fear, he sighed. When he reopened his eyes, his still mostly full cup caught his attention. Looking at it for a moment, he upended it without thinking. Slamming it down on the nearest surface, which happened to be an odd end table looking thing, he decided he was truly done with this party. He started to make his way to the door.

mothspit

 

[sprouhtt]

Location: Garden
Actions: Comforting Ajax
Interaction: Ajax mothspit
Mentioned: N/A

Selene didn't know what was happening to her, why was she acting this way towards him? Yes, she did use her looks so seduce her victims, but this time it was different. This time she felt like the victim, she felt vulnerable; not because she was allowing him to hear her thoughts when she spoke, but because she didn't understand why his aura was so enticing. It was an amusement to see her behave this way with Ajax. If others were to see her cuddling like this to him, they'd through daggers at her. Though when has Selene ever cared about what people think about her? Ever since her husband ruined her life, Selene didn't get to live for herself, but she got to die on her own terms. She was gifted with this life from her Maker, never expecting to have her ex-husband pay for the death of her daughter and life with his soul; literally. Selene promised to never allow herself to fall for men, always having men fall into her traps. As cruel as it sounded, the woman did slaughter her own ex-husband for all the torturing he made her endure in her mortal years. Selene forgave herself for her sins, but she never regretted what she did that night.

Selene was brought back to reality when Ajax was explaining to her how the wound was still fresh in his mind. "You know, it pains me to think that your soul is the one in agony. Though the amount of power that you hold or surround yourself with makes it hard for you to express it." Selene softly said as she brought her free arm around his neck and gently touched the back of his neck.

"You know, I am not the kind to pry, because I hold pains of my own, but this tension that I am getting a sense of, is not doing you any good Ajax," Selene spoke and it shocked her. Was she showing sympathy? Empathy?

Selene had never talked to this man except to greet him and be on her way when they would cross paths, but she felt as though she got him on another level. It was hard to explain what she was feeling in just these few minutes of speaking to him. Though when Ajax said that he liked the one her voice sounded, it made her feel warm inside. However, Ajax probably said that before to other women, so why did she feel like she was different? This is the kind of thinking that Selene tries to not allow herself to do. Allowing men to toy with her feelings, and in the end, she gets hurt. What could a wealthy and influential man such as Ajax want with her? Was it because he was taking a liking to her, or was it for the hint of lust in his eyes? "You do not choose to be heartless, so therefore you are not heartless," Selene responded.

Yes, the second one. It had to be, that's what all men wanted from her. Despite her constant toying with men and seducing them, she never allowed it to go as far as a kiss. Maybe it was because of what happened in the past that made her opposed to it. Selene has only slept with three men, and the two mortals that slept with her didn't even ask how she felt about it all.

Selene allowed her finger to trail up and down, slowly behind his neck. "You know, I do not usually allow men to be this close to me without my approval....consider yourself lucky Ajax." Selene sincerely told him.

A genuine smile formed on her lips, though not too big. ".....you made my book."

 

[Nox Aeternae]

As she followed the other through the crowd Rosemary glanced around for any sign of Johanna. She would've liked to tell her guardian where she was going rather than just vanish without a word, but unfortunately she didn't see her anywhere, and there was no time to search for her more thoroughly. She only hoped the woman wouldn't be too cross with her later.

Outside, she did as Lance suggested and buttoned up the faux fur shawl she wore over her navy blue cocktail dress, tucking her long red hair into it to keep it from blowing around. Kicking off her heels, she picked them up and held them as she knelt low and then launched herself through the air after Lance. As she followed him she couldn't help but smile a little; she actually enjoyed flying.

 

[Phayne]

Can't see me

Mook-LandStrider mothspit

Remaining in the light of the fire, Eldris turned to watch as Eva left this particular passageway, her form slowly melding into the shadows beyond the light, as if being swallowed hole by some ethereal darkness. It was only when she was out of sight and earshot that Eldris finally punched the side of the wall, the growing impatience and desire to satiate his curiosity reaching its peak. Faint globules of saliva had formed around his lips as he remained hunched over, both fists now placed upon the wall to balance himself, a look of crazed lust glimmering in the iris of his eyes as he let the pent up frustration escape himself. Maintaining his composure in front of Eva had been a test of endurance, the lingering questions that he had about Winona's room eating away at him as he put on the act for her. All the while as they spoke, he wanted nothing more than to just cast her aside, so that he could run back to that room, alas.. he could not. Even he had to reluctantly admit that some things were more important than his own hedonistic desires.

Glancing down the route he had come from, Eldris in the process of tidying himself up began to examine the dark passageway for signs of life. Aside from Eva who had been gone for awhile now, there seemed to be nobody else down here at this moment. With a final composed sigh and a quick tidying of his hair and face, Eldris turned around once more and hurried back towards the mysterious door at the bottom of the stairwell, the Vampire boy having quickly become acquainted with the path leading towards Winona's lair. As he made his way back, he had unknowingly passed Eva whom at that moment had entered one of the other doors lining the passageway. His quickening familiarity with this route was cut short however as Eldris came upon others along the path, It seemed that a new group of servants had taken this route as well. Moving slowly ahead of Eldris, these four men trudged along this narrow corridor each hanging onto the appendage of a rather large man; a man covered in blood and bruises having just fought with Daedric. This behemoth of a man would have easily dwarfed Daedric in the ring, though it seemed even his sheer size was not to his advantage, evident by the fact that he was now dead.

An idea formed within his nefarious mind as he observed how slowly these four slaves were moving, the limp body of the man weighing them down. It would be quite the hastle for them to carry him down the flight of stairs and into the room, the logistics of it all working against them. The sheer girth meant that they'd more than likely need to turn him onto his side if they wanted any chance of getting him through that door. This provided opportunity. If things went accordingly to expectation, than he'd have that window of opportunity to get into the room.

Minutes passed before they all found themselves back at the top of the stairway, the journey back taking twice if not three times as long considering how slow they had all been moving. Showing just how useless humanity was, Eldris had to watch in pained impatience as he 'baby stepped' his way back, keeping a fair distance behind the four slaves and corpse. Like the bugs they were they had maintained that snail like pace throughout the trip back, these drones in no rush to deliver their package to Winona's room. Inadvertently, this had ended up working in Eldris's favor as it gave him ample time to plan his next move, breaking into the room

Several minutes of trial and error and finally the four stooges had managed to bring the large corpse into the room, the man's weight working in tandem with gravity had made the trip down the staircase rather interesting. What was a few more bumps and bruises to an already battered corpse?. Carrying the deceased into the room, Eldris had used this opportunity to sneak inside, the large body of the man acting as sufficient enough coverage coupled with the already diminished lighting.

Despite the poor lighting, Eldris's mouth still hung ajar as the contents of the room began to reveal themselves to him. To put it in lamens terms, the room itself was like a medieval torture dungeon, at least he hoped it was. Some Vampires were known to be quite open and experimental in their interest's. Adorning the walls on either side were various instruments, torture devices dating back to several hundreds if not thousands of years ago; their clean and pristine appearance betraying the fact that these devices were meant to cause pain, excruciating pain. Even an iron maiden casket was slumped against the wall, the garish looking thing currently locked with a modern day padlock. God forbid it held anything inside, not even Eldris would have enjoyed seeing that. Next to it, was an ancient sarcophagus; the casket slightly open and revealing itself to be empty. Unsurprisingly the faint aroma of dried blood permeated the air, the intoxicatingly sweet aroma akin to aged wine; though the blood itself was only one among many odours that had seeped into the walls and wooden beams that supported the infrastructure. Rosemary and various other herbs and incense also lingered in the air, though it did not stand out as much as the blood did.

In the far corner of the room were three holding cells, large prison like structures built into the wall; one of which held the bones of an unfortunate soul, both arms still chained against the wall though one hung limp having become separated from the rest of the skeleton. Blood smears painted the wall within each cell, most likely the by-product of many torture sessions if the bloodied whip discarded on the floor nearby was anything to go by. Adjacent to the two cells was a medical table, presently unoccupied yet carrying a tray full of medical equipment; the large medical bone saw standing out the most. That being said, it was not the medical table or the bloodied whip and not even the skeletal remains that had caused him to pause, no it was something else entirely; an entity that caused him to shiver ever so slightly as his brain caught up with what his eyes had discovered. Sitting in the emptier of the two cells was Johanna Manchester; another forebearer attending his father's events and a former member of 'The Crown' as well as a former romantic partner of his father. What was she doing here? Eldris gulped. Was he in over his head now?

Having long since passed the point of no return, Eldris could no longer leave the room without drawing attention and could only proceed further, venturing towards the second floor alongside the servants, his presence unnoticed as he remained behind the other four, using them aswell as the diminished lighting to obscure him from view. It aided in his effort that the two forebearers were far engrossed in their own conversation, Winona additionally tending to the cauldron.

Upon reaching the second floor, the first thing Eldris had noticed were several bookshelves as well as display cabinets. Ancient books occupied the shelves, tomes and even grimoires pertaining to 'spells and rituals' being the more common genre found along each level. From where he stood, Eldris could see that these grimoires and ancient tomes came in several languages, some he recognized as still being in use today, though several were completely lost on him. One shelf in particular did seem to be specifically catered towards modern science; primarily though not limited to medical science and the human anatomy; books that ordinarily would have been out of place among mystical spells and rituals, but oddly enough seemed to fit right in considering the stack of fresh corpses just dumped a few feet away in the cell not occupied by Johanna.

Next to the bookshelf was the display cabinet with dozens upon dozens of mason jars occupying the shelves. A myriad of things were stored within the jars, primarily dismembered body parts and internal organs that had been preserved for what ever reason. Eldris doubted they were all human, but at this point he wouldn't have been surprised. His level of sheer insanity didn't seem to come close to this. Avoiding eye contact with the set of eyes stored away in several jars, What really tied in and completed the aesthetics of the room was the large framed portrait at the other end occupying the free space to the left of the three cells. Clearly hand painted by a master, the portrait depicted the image of a woman clad completely in black garb, standing amidst a forest of dead trees. Despite shuffling about, Eldris could not help but feel like the eyes of the painted woman as well as those in the jar were followed him, the sensation of a piercing gaze appearing to hone in on his very soul.

Eldris turned towards the large hole in the floor overlooking the black cauldron, the center piece of the room located just underneath a ventilation shaft. A black oozing concoction was bubbling inside this ancient pot, the disgusting looking liquid being stirred by a wooden spoon. Before being able to question how it was moving on its own, a familiar white flash had caught his view, the vampire boy coincidentally looking in the direction of the door.

Eva had entered, though it seemed the other two had not noticed. From his vantage point he could only watch and listen.


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​

Can't see me

 

[mothspit]

Ajax didn't shy away from her touch-- He enjoyed being treated like a priceless artifact, similar to how he treated his own baubles of vanity. An object to be ogled. She was just as receptive to his changes as he was, and his smile only widened. Call it a Freudian of him, but he realized he let a little too much reality slip through the cracks again. But, it was useful; These deep pains bothered him, sure, but never enough to stop him from furthering his legacy. It helped--And he dreaded using such a word-- to 'humanize' him. Make him appear more man than beast. But he wasn't oblivious to his own malevolence; He simply accepted it. It was more important to convince others the opposite, purely for appearances sake. Over the years, the line between who Ajax really was and who he pretended to be would shift and blur, to the point where even he had forgotten what parts of him were real.

Ajax's head tilted in the direction of her fingers, pushing them into his scalp as if he were a housecat begging the attention of their master. It seemed the girl had a habit of making him laugh, forcing another chuckle from the back of his throat at the mention of his suffering, and it's negative side effects. Something so human it was laughable. She had a point, though. It was never good to keep these emotions buried. Worse to have them at all. Though it was a great tool for a quick tug on the heartstrings, Ajax had learned to live with his demons. He knew when to let them come out, and when to smother them in the bath lest they interfere with his work. Selene could appreciate that, he figured. Her confident demeanor and cutthroat attitude was the makings of someone who had suffered, and chose to suffer no longer. That was worth his respect, at least.

"The tortured billionaire," He chuckled again, his hand reaching up to gently stroke beneath Selene's chin, with his thumb brushing over her bottom lip, "It's like poetry. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, as they say." His eyes look over her face, drinking in what was an undeniable beauty. Her eyes... The more heinous side of him wanted to pluck them out, and preserve them in resin so that he could gaze at them whenever he pleased. The more sensible side to him wanted to give her that sense of awe he craved vicariously through the easily impressionable-- For her to stand by him and revere him as the one unchallenged king of this valley. It was a strange thing to feel, but he wanted... to collect her. And why be satisfied with just one? Like Eva. Like Emmulsia. Like Gwen. Beautiful jewels for him to admire whenever he wanted. A terrifying hunger that was hardly ever satisfied.

Despite his sympathetic temperament, he had no intentions of elaborating further. The past was the past, and for his own sanity he'd not dwell on it any longer. Hopefully, Selene could appreciate that too. But, her last little quip did seem to interest him. His brow raising, his tone became much more playful and his grin growing more mischievous by the minute, "Oh? And yet, I seem to recall you approaching me. Not that I mind," His free hand gently curled around her shoulder, moving down her side until it rested there on her hip, "Men have gone to war for the hand of a maiden so fare. I'm feeling very lucky, darling."

Similar in the way he had been with Eva, Ajax found himself nearly pulling the girl into a kiss; But denied himself this, stopping right before they touched. It was time for his finale-- His starring role as the that same tortured billionaire, wanting love but too damaged to accept it-- This would be one of his best performances yet. Rather than kiss her lips, his head turned, resting those same cold lips against her cheek. Like before, he lingered there for a moment before he withdrew himself. This next part was crucial; Delicately taking her hands in his, as if he were handling porcelain, he kissed them too, and soon he was back to business as usual. Like someone had flipped a switch, Ajax's expression shifted from something vulnerable, to something much more unreadable; A statue with a set of eyes that could pierce the soul. He stands, pulling away from her form with gentle regard, and motioned to the door leading back into the mansion. Though his posture was somber, his expression was barren, and his tone made it clear his next words would not be convinced in any other direction. This was his method; Give them just enough to see, a small peak into what he presented as a real soul, and then to tear it away-- Only to have them crawl back for more.

"..Though, I do have some important matters to attend to. At this hour, any manner of ghoul or beast could be in these very woods. A quick perimeter sweep, nothing too egregious. You understand." As if on cue, one of the servants nearby dropped what they were doing-- Trimming one of the maze hedges-- And appeared at his side, "..Felix here can attend to your every need, my lady. Peruse the garden, perhaps. Duty calls."

With those words, Ajax regarded Selene with a bow, and headed back inside his home..

sprouhtt

When James had reached the same door Lance and Rosemary had passed through moments before, there he saw those same two servants as they did. Though, instead of opening the way for him as they had previously, they stepped in his path, using their bodies to block the entryway. James could tell they were human-- They didn't smell of vanilla, as all vampires did. Their scent was... fleshy. Like meat. Their eyes had been glazed over, eyes like a dead fish staring off into nothing. They were under the spell of a powerful supernatural influence-- A vampires will. Turning humans into loyal slaves, unable to fight the will of their master. Though, the humans were often still consciously aware, trapped in their own bodies. When they stepped in front of James, they did so in perfect synchronization. Talk about creepy.

The first servant, a young gentleman, spoke to him, "Master Ajaxius has requested a routine perimeter check of the grounds. During this time, you may not leave this area. Master Ajaxius apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. Refreshments will be dispensed shortly." His tone was.. oddly flat. Robotic, even. Only repeating what he had been instructed to say, like a parrot mimicking its master.

Across the room, the crowd erupted into fervent cheers as Daedric claimed victory once again-- Alexander was alive, albeit seriously hurt, having spit out most of his teeth. Bets that had been placed and won were doled out, bills and coins making their way into their respective winners hands. Emmulsia crawled through the ropes of the ring, taking a spot at it's bloodied center. She commanded the attention of the crowd almost instantly, the beautiful Dygarian princess tapping the side of a crystal glass with her ringed fingers. When they all turned to look at her, she gave them all a bow, and then turned to gesture to her prodigal son. Daedric, though the victor, looked significantly worse for wear. He had gone through more than a handful of opponents, and though they were all easily defeated, it was starting to take its toll. Daedric had neglected to feed himself throughout this whole ordeal, and it showed-- His slouching posture, a cold sweat trickling down his brow, and the hazy, distant look in his eyes. His body was only slightly injured, dark bruises appearing at different points of his pale body. But without replenishing his blood supply, they couldn't heal.

"We will have one more challenger!" Emmulsia called to them, gesturing to the poor state of her child. Daedric looked less than pleased with this idea, but made no moves to protest. He wasn't one to disobey his mother, even if it meant his own well being. She, out of all of them here, was the one person he couldn't say 'no' to. But when none from the crowd offered themselves up, Emmulsias delicate face scrunched with displeasure. Nearby, on the second floor balcony overlooking the foyer, Florence continued her lonely dance; Her hovering frame gracefully gliding past anyone in her way..

"No one?" Emmulsia chirped, "No one wishes to claim the grand prize?"

IamaKittyKat

The trip to the cathedral wouldn't be a long one. Though it was on the other side of town, Lance evidently knew some useful shortcuts. Sticking to the valley's shadows, they moved entirely in secret. It felt good to leave the mansion, if only for a time. He'd visited the cathedral many times with Leone, he'd even seen Daedric there once or twice. But, he hadn't seen inside it in just about as long as Adrian had remained inside it. In its glory days, more than a century ago, the pews would be packed full of wayward souls, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Lord in the stained glass windows or a passionate sermon.

Soon, after hopping from tree to tree, building to building, the terrain of the valley changed. From polished and pristine, to more and more dilapidated. This was the poorer section of the valley, brought on by Ajaxius and his businesses here. Causing this wealth gap between it's inhabitants. Leone was doing what he could to support himself and his ill-begotten father, and Lance of course help funded them when he was needed. But even he wasn't prepared for the sight of the cathedral, and the sad state it was in. He and Rosemary close behind arrived at its towering, somber visage, nestled there in the dead hills of an open field. The property itself was open to the public, but years ago Winona agreed to charm the earth, so that humans were inclined to avoid it, as a sympathetic gesture for his loss. Tall, stained glass windows gathered snow on their edges; Some cracked, some patched with wood or cloth. Stone angles littered the architecture, each in various stages of decay. High in the air, a crumbling belltower. Behind it, a looming, thick woods. Lance touched the earth.. and instantly fell to the ground with a hard oomph, rolling into a layer of snow face first. Flying was easy, but it seemed he had forgotten how to land..

Pulling his face from the snow, he spits out a mouthful of it, only slightly amused with himself, "It's like I'm four-hundred again.."

He stood to his feet, brushing off the snow from his person. The entrance to the cathedral had been blocked off with wooden boards, nailed into the elegant carvings of the woodwork. The only way inside was through the garden on the side of the building, and no sooner had they made their way to it had they seen..

..Leone. He was kneeling at the gardens edge, where it almost touch the lip of the lingering forest. In front of him stood the towering figure of an angel, it's wings outstretched and hands bound in chains. It was a grave of some kind..

Nox Aeternae

 

[IamaKittyKat]

Well, wasn’t that fucking convenient. First it’s hinted at that James won’t survive the party (which just gives ya the warm fuzzy feelings) and now he couldn’t even leave. Fucking eerie as hell.

Before James could decide what to do about this new issue, the sudden applause in the other room caught his attention. Upon glancing over his shoulder he realized the latest match was over. He had only caught a glimpse of the competitors before the match, but he recognized the vampire from all of the other fights he had a glimpse of. That had to be the fighter Florence was talking about, but he looked a little down trodden.

The young vampire’s eyebrows rose as the woman, standing figuratively knee deep in blood and gore up in the ring, asked for another challenger. The guy sure didn’t look like he wanted another challenger, and nobody else seemed eager to step in the ring with an undefeated champ.

James took a moment to try to think logically. Maybe if he took the challenge, Florence would tell him the threat. It couldn’t be that bad… He tried to reassure himself that a controlled fight with a vampire wouldn’t be dangerous or life threatening, but dread still clogged his throat. Trying to focus on something other than his emotions, he let his eyes wander away from the woman still calling for a volunteer--

His eyes landed on Florence’s graceful form at the same time the woman alluded to a prize. Sighing, he quickly decided on something he hoped he wouldn’t regret. Raising his hand and turning back toward the fighting ring he called out, “I will. I’ll fight.” Purposefully he walked up to the ring, looking up at the woman as he did so. He only spared a brief glance at the fighter before refocusing on the woman he now somewhat recognized as having been towards the head of the table at dinner. Inside, it felt as if his heart had come alive again. Adrenalin was coursing through his body and the fight hadn’t even started yet. I sure hope she’s actually watching this, it’ll be so much easier if she actually witnessed the fight.

mothspit

 

[Mook-LandStrider]

Slowly pressing her way into the room more Eva heard the talking get louder, her mind began to wander as she took in more of the room. All around her were splayed the devices of torture, mutilation and means for which to do things she was at this point unsure of. She didn’t openly hide her presence, she seemed more in awe and lost rather than skulking about and trying to spy. The look on her face alone was enough to discern that she was interested beyond mortal compare with the room she had entered. Continuing forward her steps were light and silent, helping her inadvertently mask her presence as she continued on, unaware of Eldris being inside the room as well.

As she walked she partially listened to the conversation below. During her time with her current family she had only heard whispers of the one they spoke about, of the one Ajax longing stared across the table for. Her body shivered with anticipation, her ears now open as she listened before a member of her own bloodline left the room, she could almost smell it. She had a quick chance to look at the woman and did not openly recognize her yet swore at some point she had seen her, then again she wasn’t all that surprised. While she was thinking in the wrong direction she did know that her bloodline was vast and stretched across all of Europe.

Why did she burn? Why was there only a skull left? What happened to the one Ajax had cared so dearly for? The thoughts plagued her mind as she stood listening for a moment.. Eva knew of the in fighting between bloodlines, forebearers and regular vampires all to well and this seemed to her to at least fit the bill of something of the sort. All the questions she had were starting to fill her mind and she felt a sudden and overpowering urge to go and see for herself. Despite the urge she felt some tinges of uneasy feelings, yet the chance to see necromancy first hand was too much to pass up. With her tablet in hand and she turned and began to walk towards the steps and began to make her way down and onto the first floor.

“I was seeking to continue my own work… to find my lab down here but I inadvertently stumbled upon this. Don’t worry, I don’t have loose lips. I ended up getting drawn in by everything you have about, its quite the collection. Though I realized after walking in that I couldn’t leave without spooking you, the better I say something than to be taken as a rat, though I have a feeling you’ll think negatively of me anyway.” Eva spoke up, her eyes glued to the scene unfolding in front of her. She felt it best to announce her presence rather than be taken as a lurker, a spy… an enemy to whatever was going on. While she was definitely not a friend, she was also not an enemy. A neutral party hell bent on knowing, and this… this was something she had to know. “Oh, how I wish to be able to do something like this.” Eva continued on as she stopped a respectful distance from the cauldron. “I envy you, all I have is my skill with a scalpel and knowledge of vampiric physiology. But this, this overshadows everything I could ever do.”

Mentions:
Phayne mothspit​

 

[mothspit]

Emmulsia unpleasant expression quickly vanished as James came forward, her delicate features softening into her usual mischievous smile. Parting the ropes for him to enter, she then crouched low to crawl from the ring herself, leaving her injured son to stand at one side somberly. She whispered something into his ear, undoubtedly prepping him for the fight by encouraging him to win, considering the number of patrons that had placed bets on him. Daedric simply gritted his teeth, eyes scanning James' build as he entered. Truth be told, he wasn't sure how much fight he had left in him-- The guy wasn't a heavyweight, and he only participated in these spectacles to appease the elders. He was a fighter, but not forever. That much was evident.

A servant approached James with a set of bright red boxing gloves, offering to him should he want them. Daedric was offered the same, but like all the other fights, he declined them, adjusting the wrappings around his bloodied fists. The punch of a seasoned vampire could split trees in half, but against another vampire, it was like punching walls of concrete. Humans folded under such strength, but two members of the undead could exchange blows for hours if they really wanted to. It all came down to stamina-- Who could withstand it the longest.

It seemed they had some time to prepare before the fight began, Emmulsia wiping sweat from Daedrics brow with a dark rag, and other servants picking up the loose teeth scattered about the boxing floor. Other party goers had crowded around his side of the ring, passing coins and bills as the final bets were being placed.

"Hey, you," Daedric called across the ring, gesturing to James once his mother had left his side, "I know you. You're one of the foreigners we picked up, huh? I'll try to go easy on you, since you're new here."

..And because he was starting to get tired, though he wasn't inclined to share that tidbit aloud. Emmulsia excitedly clapped her hands together from outside the ring, once again commanding attention of the room with a tap of her glass. When all looked to her, she cleared her throat, "Now, my dear boy, should you best my darling here, you'll be granted a special privilege of a... Supernatural origin. A fortune reading from one of our very own."

As if on cue, Florence's graceful frame entered James' field of view once again, her haunting giggles managing to reach his ears over the commotion of the party. She was overlooking the foyer still, a still body among a sea of movement. Her bug-eyed sunglasses masking the top half of her face, it was almost impossible to see what was behind them, save for that same self-satisfied smirk she always wore..

"You may begin!" Emmulsia finished, eliciting a cheer of excitement from the crowd.

Spoiler: OOC

Heres how combat will work between you two: if you want to perform an action, like punching/kicking etc, you would say 'James attempted to do X, with the intent of X' or something similar along those lines. dont explicitly say he makes contact, just that that is what he is in the process of doing. ill respond similarly with 'Daedric attempted to do X,' and in the interest of keeping the fight fair you can decide if he hits or not. keep in mind hes already weakened, but can still pack a punch.

IamaKittyKat