Fantasy Children of Blood and Shadows - Devil's Walkway

[Roaring_Dragon]

Something dark passed behind his eyes as he watched her gasp for breath. A deep, pitch black part of his soul took a satisfaction in her discomfort. He could feel the air whooshing though her throat as she tried to return the oxygen he had stolen from her. His power thrummed in his veins like a second mind, pleased.

And then, he laughed at her words, some of the darkness seeping away as he returned to a semblance of the man he had been only a few nights ago. He moved away slightly from her face so that he could see her better. His hand still gripped her throat, fingers trailing teasingly across her skin.

"Little Ivorel has been forsaken by her own race." He almost purred, sarcasm dripping on his every word. "You must have done something very naughty for that to happen" He rumbled with laughter.

He moved in closer again, as if he was going to kiss her, but his face move past hers to the side. He rested the side of his face on her cheek, her face hot on his cool skin. An then, he whispered in her ear, a low murmur full of challenge.

"And what do you plan to do, now that I'm free? Do you still wish me to kill you?"

 

[Ririn]

Whatever it was that flickered behind his eyes, Ivorel hasn't seen before. He had been challenging before and he had insulated her, he had tried to provoke her and he had made assumptions and he had drew her in a game of informations and he had made her laugh, he had made her frown and he had hurted her before but in this moment, with his hand almost crushing her neck by just applying force, something else lingered inside him. The last time they had been so close with his hand tracing her skin, the air had become electric and she could feel tension rise between them almost erotically, but now, the excitement that painted his voice and swifted his manners, Ivorel felt came from how her life was resting, literally, at the end of his palm.

Suits you right, for trusting your own enemy wouldn't kill you. What did you expect? That a demon would rush to help you because you didn't go on tormenting him physically? Because you brought apple pies? Can you really be so naive?

Her inner voice was right, of course. It had warned her over and over again for the way she was treating him, showing too much trust, sharing too much and now that she needed his aid, he was mocking her again.

Ivorel shut her eyes as he rested his cheek against hers, trying to make sense of his attitude and failing tragically.
His hand still around her neck, a reminder he could still kill her though his fingers were almost tenderly tracing up and down the lines of her neck.
His face so close to her, she could feel the heat it radiated.
And his words. Clearly a provocative act yet her skin shivered getting goosebumps, almost like those same words, crawled on her skin.

"Take me to the Black Hand, that's all I ask." She answered, voice as low as a whisper hoping he wouldn't be able to trace the tremor in her tone. "The only thing I did wrong is that I refused to torture you any longer. I can't do it... We are, too much, alike." Ivorel admitted, but in her heart she felt betrayed.

She had stopped the interrogation, she had asked to be removed from her duty because dealing with Vox after she realised their similarities was beyond her capacity and now she would pay for that decision with a prison cell. Yet Vox was not only threating to kill her, he also wanted to do it. Ivorel had finally realise what the darkness in his eyes ment. And it tore her apart.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Her voice was low against the skin of his cheek and it trembled with an emotion he had never heard in her voice before. He blinked against her flesh and pulled back, trying to identify that emotion. The lines of her face were slack, as if she was willing him to do his worst and tear her apart. Yet yer eyes.... Her eyes bespoke of something very different. There was such vulnerability in them, such raw emotion and something that took him by surprise. Something that looked suspiciously like betrayal.

He almost feel into their stormy depths, but he caught himself. Confusion raced though his mind, chasing some of the darkness away. The voice in his blood screamed at him as it was forced into submission, no longer pulling the ropes in his mind. It retreated into a small corner, growling viciously, ever-hungry.

The voice had grown in the last few days. A caged animal looking for escape. It had twisted his mind and filed him with darkness. The same darkness that had clawed at him all those years ago when he was alone, wandering the desert wastes. The isolation and boredom has sharpened it, honed it into something dangerous. It had wanted out; it had wanted blood.

But as he gazed into those wide eyes, a semblance of the man he had been awoke again. Her feelings awoke something in his own sunken heart and his hand loosened further. His fingers trailed circles across her skin, tracing the edge of her jaw thoughtfully. He tried to remember their discussions that had made him hang on her every word, the ones where he had wanted to know about her, the ones where he felt like he understood her. He used that logic again to contemplate her words, rolling them in his mind, searching for treachery.

"Why would I help you now that I'm free?"

 

[Ririn]

Don't fall for it! the voice screamed as she felt his grip loosen up, his fingers moving up, tracing the bone of her jawline, like he was trying to find answers under his fingertips, like her secrets awaited underneath her flesh.

She tried! She really tried not to fall for it, she really tried to ignore his eyes piercing into her own, bringing the image of the darkness she had seen just moments ago in them to the front of her mind, trying to replace what wonderment now lurked in his golden eyes. Her mind tried but her heart betrayed her too, beating just a bit faster. Ivorel shut her eyes, trying to push his image away but it remained still, floating in her vision.

"Because it's how we play the game." She answered, her voice still husky though her breathing was starting to return to normal.

What a lame excuse she had given him in order to make him help her. The thought made her tense up again and open her eyes, meeting his own with a profound calmness as she started to realise her defeat.

"I don't understand my world anymore than I understand yours. But I don't want to betray my soul again, not for their orders." She explained, gulping down, licking her lips. "Somebody needs to try and put a stop to the war. I can't go on living my days knowing that more children are born and shaped into this war, I'm too tired Vox, that's all. I'm not trying to trick you... I'm just too tired." Ivorel said sincerely, not even carrying if he would believe her anymore. Closing her eyes again, Ivorel leaned forward, resting her forehead against his own like it was too much to hold her head straight, letting her hand slip from around his wrist, as if she was surrendering.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

At her words, the old forgotten smile played on his lips. The game... "I hasn't agreed to the game before you freed me" His lips bespoke of the amused tone he was so used to using with her.

And then, she broke in front of his eyes. Her face drained from emotion as if it cost too much to feel. Her tone was bleak and tired as she spoke, voice sounding like it came from far, far away. She spoke of her soul and the war and as she did, her voice became almost a wispier. Her forehead dipped, as if it took the world to hold her head on her shoulders and it rested on his for support. Something small broke inside of Vox as well.

A thousand questions swam in Vox's mind, yet he couldn't put his finger on them, as if her forehead had sucked coherent reason from his brain. He couldn't help it; his hand trailed up her jaw and rested it on her check, cupping her face in his hand. He pushed lightly, pushing their faces further apart so that he could look into her eyes. Those eyes that were so filled with pain and exasperation swirling in their depths.

"You speak of ending this war. How will visiting the Black hand achieve that?". His voice was small, a wispier, as his eyes searched hers

 

[Ririn]

When she was seven years old, her parents had taken her to a river for swimming in a warm summer day. Near dusk, the stream was suddenly full of fishes, travelling somewhere they only knew. Ivorel had run back in the river, ignoring her mother's scolding, laughing as she tried to catch a fish with her bare hands but they were too fast and slick for her little hands and Ivorel soon ended up dripping wet, no fish caught but still laughing.

Now her thoughts, felt like those fishes. Too fast and too slick for her to be able to grasp and she wasn't laughing anymore.

She allowed him to push her back slightly, like she had no will of her own as his hand was still tenderly on her cheek feeling like her face could sink in his palm. She looked at him, trying to figure out what had really driven her to ask for his help and set him free as he was preparing to kill her for even suggesting she knew something about him, but she couldn't settle on one answer, nothing felt completely true or honest.

"If I was to die you would escape anyway." Ivorel shrugged like that was enough reasoning behind her act to free him before he agreed on playing the game. "If I find who was behind that assasination, I can kill them and maybe then, peace has a chance again. Maybe politics will succeed where I failed." She shrugged again. "You should leave. They will come looking for me and it won't look good for you." She almost made an attempt to a joke, the edges of her lips slightly curving but in her eyes, the same dreadful feeling of defeat was still present.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Vox considered her for a moment. He didn't move at her words, sitting rooted at he spot. He was unconcerned about any elves that might enter the tent. He would kill them, or he would die. Chances where, if Ivorel didn't get in his way, he former was most likely. But her reasoning drew him in. He drew his hand away from her skin slowly and he didn't fail to notice the dark smudge his palm had left behind. He stared at it, at if it was important.

"Your aim is to infiltrate the Black Hand that hired me, in order to kill their leader" He raised an amused eyebrow. "That seems very counterproductive to end the war. You will just make them a martyr, a figurehead in the mind of many extremist demons. You will just be perpetuating the never ending cycle of hate. It won't work. Besides why would I betray my kind like that?"

 

[Ririn]

Her words of a potential fight of he didn't leave soon enough didn't seem to have the slightest effect on him, as he remained in the same position, only drawing his hand away from her. Two very different things happened inside her then.
One was that breathing became easier, like he had been chocking her even with his hand on her cheek and that made her feel more awake.
The other one was, a part of her craved to grasp his hand and lead it back on hee cheek, like it's weight and warmth was somehow helpful.

His reasoning was quite on point but that didn't suprise her. Vox had proven to be a clever opponent and not just a man with muscles from early on.

"Once you accused me for not having the decency to know enough about my enemy." Ivorel remembered, holding her ground still. "Truth is, I know a bit about your kind because most of my military time, I haven't been on the devil's walkway but rather in Omega, spying. What my job taught me is that, useful information can be found in the least unexpected of places. Maybe killing them won't solve anything, but if I can find enough to understand the radicals and then share this knowledge with the right kind of people, peace will be easier. Look at you and me!" She said with a bitter smile "We found parts of ourselves in each other, we view each other as enemies but there is more than that!" Ivorel paused, coughing, her face a mask of pain as she did. Her neck was still pulsating in discomfort and she could feel her saliva scratching away at the wounded tissue. She was certain that if she could look at herself in a mirror, she would find bruises and small cuts where his fingers had tightened almost with deadly outcomes.

"Do you really feel it would be an act of betrayal? If you led me to them?" She asked, clearing her throat staring at him with an unspoken question in her eyes.
Does it feel like a betrayal at all, that you wanted to kill me after I denied to torture you any longer? she wanted to ask but of course she didn't.
"And if so, tell me what I can give you in return. They hired you to murder Lord Equalon now tell me how can I hire you to take me to them." Ivorel suggested, feeling like time was starting to really put it's pressure on her shoulder, tightening the grip around her. Leaving the camp wouldn't be easy if Conor had all the guards out looking for her.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Vox narrowed his eyes at her words. They made sense, but... something was missing. There was a gap in the information that she was not telling him. She wouldn't go though all this trouble just to spy on her enemy and return information to her kind. Her race would probably not even allow her within earshot of a higher official now that she had aided and abetted in his escape. So, what was it?

"You're not telling me something. What is your true reason for wanting to go to infiltrate the Black Hand?" His heated gaze scanned her face for an answer, wondering if she would tell him the truth or insist on this reason for wanting to cross into Omega. He wondered if he had picked up on something in her demeanor to assume so, or perhaps it was only his imagination.

His mind swirled at her thoughts of betrayal, but he knew the answer as soon as it had left her lips. He had never felt like he owed any loyalty to them. So giving up their name earlier in the week, or if he decided to lead her to them would not offend his lack of morals. He had been frank with her earlier; he only cared about one thing. Enacting his vengeance by staining his blade with as much elven blood as he could. And so, he gained nothing from the stopping of this war.

Something sparked in his mind; the beginning of an idea. There was nothing physical she could give him in exchange. He doubted that she would assist him in the senseless murder of her kind. His eyes narrowed, thoughtfully, as if he had all the time in the world to consider giving her an answer.

"How good are your connections in the military?"

 

[Ririn]

Vox had still to give her a real answer to whether or not he was accepting her offer and he kept pestering with questions as to why she wanted to infiltrate the Black Hand. For a moment she contemplated telling him about Gongo potentially being alive and held captive, something she couldn't allow, but her mind warned her with a loud siren that this, would be a very, very bad move. Saving the Lord's brother ment peace would stand bigger changes and Vox had made it pretty clear so far, he didn't crave peace and that he had accepted his part in the war.

"You are wondering why I want to rat out any information I can get on a radical, demon group that managed to get assasins in our land and succeeded in murdering the young Lord? Really?" She asked, raising an eyebrow playfully, life starting to return to her slowly as a spark of consciousness appeared slowly but steadily, in her grew misty eyes. "Vox, I want peace but I don't like failing, you surely already know that about me by now. Right?" She asked, not completely honest but not completely lying about her motives either.

And finally! Vox seemed interested in what this deal could earn him though she couldn't help but feel, like she was walking on a very thin line with him over here.

"Very good." Ivorel answered, puzzled as to what it was he would end up asking of her. "Being seen as a living weapon has its cons." She admitted with a shrug "Almost everybody fears me but who doesn't want some kind of bond with me when they think I will work for them? If somebody has a title, I have a passage in their home." She concluded, not bragging about it, just stating what her reality had looked like for most of her life.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Vox had the feeling that something lay under her words that he couldn't grasp. He had pushed, he had prodded, but she hadn't budged her answer as to why she wanted to venture into Omega. He narrowed his eyes slightly, suspicious but he accepted that her answer wouldn't change. If she wanted to play coy, then he would eventually uncover her true reasons. But did her true reasons even matter? Did it really matter, even if she wanted to bring Omega crashing down into a civil war? He didn't care about any of that. Petty squabbles between to kingdoms that had never affected him.

Slowly, he got to his feet, limbs feeling stiff with disuse. His first steps were wobbly, and he almost caught himself on the metal frame around him. He slowly made his way to the table, eyes intent on his axe. He reached out, his grime stained hand tenderly caressing the scared steel. With his other hand he hefted the large double-headed weapon, feeling the familiar weight and balance he was accustomed to. He turned to her slowly, piecing thoughts and words together carefully.

He knew what he wanted in exchange.

"When you first tore open my skin with your whip, you asked me what happened to me five years ago to turn me into such a monster". His golden eyes left the sharp edge of his weapon and bore into hers.

"Five years ago, someone of your race sent an order to enter the Scorching Wastes for the first time in many decades. The armies scoured the wastes, destroying everything in their path, searching for something. Deeper and deeper they traveled, as if with a single minded intensity." He blinked " I don't know what lead them to enter a place that they feared so much, and what drove them with such passion. But in their path of destruction, they came across my tribe." He blinked again, pushing away the pain that was filling him up inside. " They caught us by surprise in the middle of the night. They-" he swallowed hard, anguish in his voice "They decimated my tribe. Wiped them out completely." His left hand went to the scar on his side, almost feeling the elven sword gutting him all over again.

His eyes then changed, gone was the pain and anguish. Instead they were filled with fury and hate for the people who had shattered his world. "I want to know the names and locations of every officer and captain that commanded that army. I want to know who sent the order. I want to know why they entered the Scorched Wastes and murdered my tribe, unprovoked". His voice was so low, as if his rumbling tones could shake the earth with his all-consuming fury.

 

[Ririn]

She watched him stand up, finally free of his chains and she got up with him, stepping out of his path. For a moment, Ivorel thought he would fall as she could see the muscles under his skin tense up from the sudden movement but he didn't. He stood tall, so much taller than her and a glimpse of how she had first met with Vox in the forest, passed by her eyes fast as a travelling arrow. Fifteen? Sixteen days ago, Ivorel would have laughed at anyone who would even dare to suggest she would be freeing her own prisoner, fleeting with him out of her land, away from her people yet here she was, watching closely as he reached for the table, taking his double axe in his hands looking at it as if he was reunited with an old lover. She was tensed, not knowing if he would make an attack against her, the ever present pain on her throat, reminding her that it was just a moment ago the demon was ready to kill her.

But Vox didn't attack her. On the contrary, Vox stood there, axe in his hands, looking deep into her eyes finally telling her what was it that had led him to become the Berserker she knew from the Devil's walkway. Ivorel listened closely to his every word, a deep sorrow surrounding her heart as he spoke of an attack in the middle of the night that had taken everything from him. Though Ivorel, couldn't recall such an attack taking place. Her kind had tried to go into the Scorched Wastes when they first came to the land, that she knew, it was part of their history but five years ago, her kind still had no wish to go back to this unwelcoming, endless part of the world. Right?

Her eyes narrowed down, as she tried to solve yet another riddle that had presented before her today. It didn't make sense. She would have known about it, five years ago Ivorel was already a Captain, she was already a valuable weapon to her people. How could she have missed such a slaughtered happened? And why had it happened? Vox said they were looking for something but what was there to look for in the boiling desert? Monsters and more monsters and few scattered tribes that probably had no idea what was happening at the borders of Omega? She shook her head, looking away from Vox, as suddenly, sorrow got mingled with shame in her heart. Shame for her own kind, something she had never felt before and she wasn't sure how to react to that feeling.

"I..." She licked her lips "I can find this information for you. I think. I mean, I have never heard about such an operation in the Scorched Wastes but, there is someone, who might has an idea of what happened and trust me, he would be happy to help out for a few favours." She shrugged, finally looking at him again, hoping that her previous dark feelings were now hidding under her determination.

"So, we have ourselves a deal?"

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Vox watched her carefully, scouring her reaction as he spoke of the deeds her people had committed onto his tribe. Something unspoken stirred inside of her at his words, and Vox closed his eyes, not wanting to see the pity that he thought would follow. He couldn't bare to see if she approved of her races actions. What was another dead tribe of demons to her? They were enemies, she had probably partaken in countless of missions like that in the past. She had even admitted to spying in demon territory, bringing her information back so that the forces of her people could raid the Blasted Plains with more accuracy. No, he couldn't bare to see if that was the case, so he turned away, facing the table again as he beheld the rest of the items she had brought without really seeing them. He wanted to hide his eyes from her as well, so filled with uncertainty that they were.

Her hesitant voice came over his shoulder as she pondered how to get the information he had requested. The tension he was holding in his shoulders relaxed when he heard she hadn't heard about the attack on his people; perhaps she didn't condone their actions then? He turned back to look at her, his eyes dark.

"You do know what I will do to the people whose names you uncover, right?" He took a step closer, staring directly into her eyes as his fiery gaze made sure she knew exactly the pain he would be inflicting them. "You will be serving up members of your race to be butchered by me. Are you happy with that betrayal"?

 

[Ririn]

There was pain on his face's lines and there was anger and loss in his eyes but Ivorel couldn't find the strength in her to go near him, to say something, to wrap her hands around him and just hold him like he had held her when her weak from fever legs couldn't hold her. And then the moment passed as he turned around and all she could see was his back, slowly relaxing as she spoke though it wasn't clear if her words had something to do with it.

But as he finally turned around, taking a step closer most of the pain she had seen was gone. Now Vox was just the same cold blooded demon he usually was, speaking of death, asking harsh questions she would rather not hear.

"It's how the game is played. I ask you to do something for me and you ask something in return." She said shrugging her shoulders like betraying a few members of her race, practically sentencing them to death, didn't matter to her. "I didn't want to tell you stories about me but I did, in order to get answers from you and, as it didn't matter how I felt about that, it still doesn't matter how I feel." Ivorel said with a grin. "That's a cape." She said pointing at the fabric on the table. "Can we go now? Please? I'd rather not spread chaos on the way out." She pointed out, feeling ready to run out of there as soon as possible.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Vox leaned a little closer, golden gaze boring into hers, scrutinizing her reaction carefully. It was obvious his words had struck a chord inside her, yet he admired her 'matter-of-fact-ness' as she spoke about what needed to be done.

"You're got yourself a deal then" his lips splitting into the characteristic grin that Ivorel was used to whilst he moved away from her. His gaze fell on the reddish brown fabric on the table at her prompt, as if he was seeing it for the first time. He looked at it distastefully. "Why did you get me a cloak? Laundry day not gone by yet so you couldn't get your hands on any clean shirts?" His lip twitched teasingly. "Or is it that perhaps you like the look of my bare chest so much?" He grinned, noticing but ignoring the urgency in her words, obviously trying to make her feel uncomfortable.

 

[Ririn]

Yes! He had finally agreed to help her and she was now more ready than ever to leave but Vox was just too much of an asshole right now, choosing to try and get to her nerves instead of fleeing the camp. Ivorel grinned her teeth, trying to stay calm.

"Well, I did a really splendid job on your chest, can't urge with that!" She answered back, smiling widely returning the look "But actually, our shirts don't come in your size so for now, a cloak has to do! Can we move now?" She asked waving at the entrance clearly annoyed but unwilling to give let him anger her any further.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Vox threw back his head and laughed at her reply, the metalwork on his horns catching the faded light. He was still smirking as he threw on the heavy fabric over his shoulders, threading his muscular arms though the armholes. Despite the coat's large size, he struggled to fit his arms though. The sleeves where short and the fringes barely passed his hips. Yes, this was definitely not a piece of clothing that was made for someone of his stature and he abhorred to see what size elven shirts came in. It would have to do, for now.

Vox hefted his axe, twirling the familiar weapon in his right hand playfully as he marveled at the razor sharp edge. It's good to see you, my old friend, he thought to himself, earnestly. He turned back to Ivorel.

"Lead the way. I vote for a route that is heavily populated with soldiers, if you ask me. My axe thirsts for some blood and I need to let of some steam" he chuckled mischievously at his words.

 

[Ririn]

Ivorel rolled her eyes as he laughed but couldn't help it as a smile appeared on her lips again. She preferred him that way, she preferred his loud, almost roaring laughter than the darkness in his eyes that spoke of the pleasure he would get from killing her.

Ivorel brought her hand to her waist but instead of her whip, her right hand went for the Sai next to it. The whip was too bulky right now and it would cause too much damage if it came down to it something she would rather avoid. Vox's words stopped her in her track though as she turned her head around to stare at him.

"I didn't ask you! You won't kill anyone unless it's the only thing left to do!" She said in a low, serious voice, taking another step towards the entrance. "Save your killings for later down the road. If we make it out of here quietly it will take longer for them to realise we are gone." She explained, not waiting to find out if he agreed with her plan or on.

Opening the tent, Ivorel stepped out wearing her best smile for the guards that saluted her as any other day. Still smiling, Ivorel made the shadows move under her command, covering their faces before they moved lower to their chests, like a rattle snake that seeked to kill them though for Ivorel, making them pass out was enough.

"Come on!" She said to Vox as she started walking fast towards the left of the tent, circling around it to avoid Conor's tent, as they would make a run for the wall. Though the sun was still up and there was almost nothing to provide cover for them, most guards were busy at this time of the day and who would really expect to see a Captain running away with her Demon prisoner?

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

A smile played on his lips at her reply. He found her reaction very amusing bit he did not try to rile her up further. He was not surprised that she did not want any bloodshed of her fellow soldiers; he had been expecting her to say that. But Vox still felt a little bit of disappointment at the lack of conflict. He would play along, for now...

As the shadows rose around them and knocked out the guards Vox gave a quiet sardonic whistle at her display of power. He couldn't help it, he nudged one of the fallen guards with his boot, wondering how upset it would make Ivorel if he kicked him right now. He resisted, bypassing the fallen bodies, following close behind her. Despite the arrogant attitude Vox was presenting, his senses were on high-alert. He was listening for any movement around them as they inched behind cover, getting ready for the dash to the wall. There were no alarming sounds as he searched to begin with until he heard the unmistakable thump of boots towards their trajectory. He knew the sound of those boots. He had heard them several times a day for the last week. They had a solid sole and were of a sturdy make, he knew they belonged to a pair of guards that would be replacing the ones that Ivorel had just knocked out. He swore under his breath and reached out, grabbing Ivorel's wrist to get her attention

"Unless you do want me to make mince meat out of your comrades, we better make a run for the pallisade. There's about to be a change of guard" He paused, listening closely head tilted to one side. "If we get separated for any reason, meet me in the oak grove just past the tree line" He said in a hushed voice, remembering the cluster of trees he had glimpsed over the battlements during his last escape attempt.

 

[Ririn]

Ivorel kept her body straight as she walked, staying behind small tents and the few trees that grew in the camp, knowing that as long as the word hadn't got out she would appear far more suspicious if she walked like she had in fact something to hide. And all was going so well until Vox said something she didn't hear and grabbed her wrist. Ivorel froze, turning around to face him, eyes wide open, heart jumping in her chest as she pulled her wrist away from his grip using all the strength she could master. Being touched by someone who was choking her ten minutes ago wasn't in her list of things that were allowed!

Her eyes got sharp though as he talked, her lips pressed tight against each other.

"Fuck!" Ivorel said under her breath, turning to look at the wall. They needed more time, convincing Vox to help her had lasted longer than she expected! "Fuck!" She said again, starting to move forward, eyes focused on their destination. "We are not getting separated Vox!" She said in a firm tone, not wanting to even think of what it would mean if he broke his word!

And just as the wall was finally close and Ivorel begun to run, the horns were heard.

"They found the guards!" Ivorel told Vox that was just one step behind her. "Run!"

She darted forward, feet barely touching the ground as she run. Climbing the wall wouldn't be difficult but the three guards that were running towards her and Vox, certainly didn't make it easy. If she didn't take care of them the demon would and Ivorel wasn't ready to spill the blood of some young soldier in order to escape.

"HALT!" One of the guards coming their way yelled as all three of them drew their swords and in his voice, Ivorel recognised the Officer under the blue and yellow mask. Well, I wouldn't mind if he killed him... she thought but she couldn't go through with it.

Her eyes darkned just a tint as she extended her free hand, making their own shadows come up from the ground, wrapping them around their legs, forcing them to fall on their faces, as the shadows kept swirling around their torso. Ivorel would swear, Vox had growled in disappointment behind her but she wouldn't wait around to find out now.

Unlike Vox, Ivorel couldn't climb the wall with her bare hands so as she reached it's base, she put the Sai back on her belt, going for her whip. Looking up, Ivorel didn't spot anyone walking the pallisade but at the corner of her eye she could see a group of guards running their way and if she wasn't mistaken, Conor was leading them. Ivorel looked up again, taking a step backwards, sending the whip up, wrapping it tightly around the wooden edge of a post, pulling it until it got stretched perfectly for her to use it like a climbing rope, her hands touching it in a way that showed years of experience that had taught her how to wrap her fingers around it without getting cut by it's blades.

Next to her, Vox that had gotten to the base of the wall had almost passed infront of her, climbing the wall with an ease she hadn't expected the bulk man would posses, even though she had seen him climb the wall before, the night of his escape though that time, it was from a distance and Ivorel had soon fallen into darkness.

Pushing her self to move faster, almost like it was a competition of speed she had to win him at, she managed to reach the pallisade, pulling her body up a moment before Vox did, freeing the whip from the pole as soon as she stood up. Though instead of looking around her, Ivorel turned her, filled with anxiety gaze, upon the demon first, ready to assist him if he looked like he needed a hand, completely missing the guard that was waiting for them on his knees with an arrow already pulled on his bow!

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Vox's muscles worked hard as he scaled the wooden palisade. Just like during his last escape, his body moved with fluid ease as his hands gripped the ridges in the large wooden slats. His clawed fingers dug deep into the crevices as his muscles bunched to pull him up. His waraxe swung loosely on his back, shouldered by the leather strap he usually used to attach it to his hip. Ahead of him, he could see Ivorel shimmying up her whip that she had turned into a climbing rope. A brief flash of wonderment flitted across his mind at the fact that her hands were remaining uninjured despite the weight she was putting on the many sharp metal scales.

Down below he could hear the shouts of alarm as a group of soldiers dashed towards the palisade after them. He could hear the pounding of boots and the drawing of swords as they neared. A twang of a bowstring sent an arrow flying towards his climbing form and it embedded itself deep in the wooden wall to his left. A second one hit the palisade where he had just been as he continued to ascend. Looking above him, he could see Ivorel heaving her slender form over the edge and disappearing out of sight. He pushed his body harder, muscles straining under his own weight. The next arrow grazed his calf as he reached the wooden lip. As he peaked over, an anxious face greeted him as Ivorel reached out, ready to pull him over the edge if he needed. Yet she was not the only person he saw. A young elf stood not far behind her, bow drawn and a stunned look on his face. He hesitated as he saw his Captain on the wall, uncertain on what the sound of alarm was about. Shock clouded his eyes as he saw the authoritative woman he respected and feared reach out to help a demon; none other than the Berserker himself! Confusion followed as he wondered what the right thing to do was but it was replaced by determination as he prepared to send his arrow flying.

It was that confusion that saved Ivorel's life. She hadn't noticed him in her hurry, but Vox had. He heaved himself onto the battlements, swinging his legs over the edge. He rolled over and quickly got onto his knee just as he heard the bowstring go taught and release an arrow.
"Watch out!" Vox yelled at Ivorel as the arrow whizzed towards her head. Without thinking, he lunged at her, pushing her body out of the way and falling on top of her. The arrow flew true, but instead of finding Ivorel's head, it buried itself deep in Vox's hip, puncturing though his new coat.

Vox snarled as pain shot though one side of his body. He bared his teeth and his eyes flashed dangerously as he shifted his weight of from on top of Ivorel's small form. His hand went to the arrow as he yanked it out of his skin. His face twisted into a malformed yet silent growl of pain as blood gushed out of the wound, painting the side of his body red. He turned to the young elf who's eyes were wide with terror as he watched him prowl towards him, like a predator closing in on his prey.

Vox brought his battleaxe down on his frightened face, clefting his head in two. His skull split open and arterial blood splattered over Vox's face and cloak. As the droplets touched his skin, they almost burned him with their power. It flooded his mind and he could feel the roar of his own power in his blood ignite. He pulsed with it, and just like that, the debilitating wound on his hip healed over, flesh knitting together to form new skin. The voice in his head, the voice of the old blood, roared with excitement and satisfaction as it pulsed and asked for more.

When he turned to Ivorel, his gaze pulsed with the madness that always filled him as he took the lives of his enemies. His eyes were wide and glassy with fervor as his muscles trembled with blood lust. His lips stretched into a wide, toothy grin filled with sharp fangs.
"Sorry" he said, meaning the death of her comrade, but his voice sounded anything but sorry.

 

[Ririn]

"Watch out!" Ivorel heard Vox yell at her but she didn't have time to react as his bulky form came at her, throwing her body down, her whole body stiffening under him. What was happening? It didn't take much for her mind to realise the demon had just taken an arrow for her. She had heard the arrow a bit too late and she could see Vox's face change above her in pain.

"No, wait!" She tried to stop him from pulling the arrow out of his hip as he stood up, but the side of his body got painted red as his blood gushed out of the punctured wound. Ivorel could feel her heart miss a beat as she realised she would now see a soldier of her own die from his hand.

She tried to get up. She wanted to get up. To dart towards Vox and throw herself between him and the guard but suddenly, her body was weighted down like a force stronger than her loyality was keeping her pinned on the ground. All she could do, was sit there and watch as Vox reached for his axe without even thinking about it, bringing it down on the guards face.

She wanted to look away but she couldn't do that either. Her eyes were open wide seeing every stream of blood as it sprayed Vox, seeing the life leave the elf's body, the light disappearing from his eyes as his body fell heavy on the demon's feet and as she watched it all, the realisation of what her betrayal against her kind ment started to really settle in her.

The next moment, Ivorel was back on her feet, like the spell that bounded her was gone, her knuckles turning white around the grip of the whip. Her mind was screaming, pleading with her to stop it, stop him, make him pay for what he had done but the arrow that came flying towards her, ending up before her feet and Vox's toothy grin made her snap out of those thoughts.

He had said sorry but Ivorel could trace the pleasure he had gotten in his eyes, as the darkness that was ment for her death before, was again staining the golden of his eyes.

"Let's move!" She said with her voice almost a whisper and her body a mass of tensed up nerves and muscles.

Guards were coming at them from both sides of the pallisade now and she wasn't going to stay one moment longer on the wall risking their deaths. Ivorel stepped on the edge of the wall, looking down at what was their freedom and let her body fall forward with a grace and certainty usually found among her kind.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

As the fervor pulsed inside Vox unabashedly, his eyes were intent on Ivorel. For a brief moment he could see dozens of emotions flash before her eyes, disapproval at his actions prominent. But at that point, with thrumming elation coursing though his limbs almost painfully, he couldn't bring himself to care. This was who he was. He had told her that he was a product of this war and he was not ashamed of what he had become. In his tribe, he had been almost venerated for his prowess and the old blood that ran though his veins which hadn't been seen as potent in generations. Blood and battle was all he knew, and he was not about to change now, not for her or anyone else.

The arrow that shot though the air cut his thoughts sharply. He turned towards the archer in the distance, body rotating almost in slow motion, same twisted smile frozen on his lips. The power screamed inside of him as it urged him to kill. Ivorel's quiet voice, filled as it was will urgency snapped him out of his daze. He blinked and turned to her as he saw her body purposefully fall over the edge of the wall, light as a feather floating in the wind. The motion refocused his thoughts on their escape plan and he begrudgingly returned his bloody axe onto his back.

Taking a running start, he hurled his body over the edge of the palisade in complete disregard of his personal safety as arrows embedded in his wake. The motion was unlike Ivorel's graceful decent as she landed on the ground below, like the fall had cost nothing of her. Instead, Vox's nails and fingers gouged the wooden slats as he attempted to slow down his superior bulk. The reckless act rubbed his fingers raw, ripping at his fingertips yet he was unconcerned as he knew the power pulsing though him would repair any damage. He shimmied down a large wooden protrusion, wood groaning under his weight before he dropped the rest of the distance to the ground.

He could see Ivorel in front of him, sprinting though the settlement's narrow streets, Her lithe form dogged obstacles with grace as she wove swiftly around corners. Vox didn't have time to take in the details of his surroundings as his gaze was intent on her, determined not to lose sight of her. His muscles strained as he attempted to keep up, breath coming in gasps as sweat started to drip from his pores.. He briefly wondered if he would be able to keep up if he didn't have someone else's life force supplementing his own inside him.

Vox heard the screams of the townspeople as they zoomed past. He pondered how they looked to their eyes; did it seem to them like she was leading him to safety, or that he was chasing her to kill her? The thought filled him with amusement.

Yet the townsfolk were not the only ones that he could hear. His senses picked up the thump of military boots not far behind as they sped though the narrow alleyways after them. Ivorel's path became more elaborate, trying to throw them off their trail. He could see tension in her shoulders as if she too, could hear their pursuers narrowing in. And then, they punctured though the rim of houses and into open land. A dense line of forest greeted them in the distance. He couldn't see the oak grove from this elevation but Vox turned his body towards where he thought the glade would be.

There were almost at the tree line when Ivorel slowed down. Vox didn't even notice at first as he overtook her, so intent on his destination. He was partway though the first trees when he looked back only to see her veering off in a very different direction

What the hell is she doing? He thought to himself, breath coming out in pants. as he watched her disappear beyond the trees.

 

[Ririn]

Ivorel knew they were being chased and she would really like to stop and explaining to Vox what Conor's powers could do and craft a plan, but when you were making a run for it in the company of a demon you had as your own prisoner, time wasn't your friend. So Ivorel slowed down, letting Vox pass her by and reach the forest first as she turned right, running alonside the tree line, making sure she stayed uncovered long enough for Conor to see the point from which she got in the forest, disappearing. And as she run, Ivorel made sure to put her whip away. She didn't want to fight Conor, she just needed him away from Vox for now.

Conor laughed as he reached over touching the closest to him tree with his bare palm, standing where he had last caught glimpse of Ivorel's white hair, eyes going almost blind as he became one with the forest around him. His vision traveled through the roots and through the branches and leaves and when he got an image of Ivorel's running form, Conor started moving too.

She knew he would find her, she understood what being a tracker meant when it came to her companion and she knew he would eventually find her but it was a risk she was willing to take. Anything, to keep Conor and Vox as far away from each other as possible.

"Stop!" Conor yelled as his arrow flew coming from her right, ending up on the tree just next to her, forcing Ivorel to freeze on her track. "You are coming with me!" He said like it was the most natural thing to say, taking a step towards her, as he secured the bow on his back, drawing his sword.

"Are you going to fight me Conor?" She asked, turning around to face him with a playful smile, meeting with his cold gaze.

"You are going to come with me."

"No, no I'm not going to come with you."

"You are disobeying your Captain?" He asked and Ivorel couldn't help but smile, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Conor, it's just you and me alright? I was never just your Captain and you are not just my Captain either. Lower your sword."

"Oh really? Then what was I to you Ivorel? What was I ever to you if not a loyal servant?"

"We are friends. You are my companion. You were never a servant, how can you say that?" She asked in honest wonderment, unable to wrap her mind around that man that stood before her, looking at her with a coldness she had never experienced from him before.

"Your companion?" He asked, raising his voice. "That's what you think I was? A companion is someone you love, someone to whom you stay loyal!"

"When was I not loyal to you?" She asked in the same tone frowning. "And I did love you. I still do. You know it! Don't blame me for not being able to return the same kind of love you had for me."

"How could you ever return my love? Can Ivorel of the Shadows even feel love?" He asked laughing mockingly at her, closing the distance between them in three big steps, forcing her to back away, showing her empty palms at him, a sign she was unarmed.

"Conor I don't want to fight you."

"Answer my fucking question!" He yelled. "Can you feel love? I bet you can't. I bet you are everything they have been saying about you but I was just too stupid and blind to see it." Conor lashed at her, sword ready forcing her to jump backwards. "I'm your Captain and you will do as I say!"

"You pathetic excuse of a man!" Ivorel said, now moving in circles, following his own steps but still refusing to fight him or even draw her weapon against him. "You just got a title and you think that will make me follow you? It takes more than that to follow a man!"

Conor growled, coming at her again but Ivorel ducked, letting her body roll away before she darted on her feet again.

"I guess I should make everybody fear me then, like you did!" He noticed mocking her again and slowly, Ivorel could feel her blood heat rising.

"I never wanted them to fear me!"

"But you took advantage of it anyway! Like you took advantage of anything else you could get your hands on, walking around like you were something special. Well, you aren't special Ivorel, you aren't irreplaceable."

Ivorel just stared at him. Was he right? Had she really been one to abuse her power and title? Sure, she did play with her soldiers from time to time, fear and respect were valuable when you had to control large groups but he was accusing her of something worst than that.

"Conor stop it. Let me go. Your plan will never work, they won't treat me any better if I just obey and come along. Can't you see that it makes no sense?" She pleaded with him and finally Conor stopped moving, just looking back at her before he broke into laughter. What was going on?

"Oh, Ivo! I know my plan won't work. Did you really think I cared for what would happen to you in prison? It's only what you deserve!" He said, still smiling at her feeling amused by his trickery.

Ivorel started to feel nervous now. What was he talking about? In his tent, when he told her about the King's order he seemed just as puzzled as she was but now... Now something had changed. This man infront of her was nothing like the one she has fought next to for the last decade.

"Oh, what happened? You didn't expect that from someone like me?" Conor asked as he could read the dozens of questions she was troubling her mind with. "It's what you deserve! A cold cell for the cold woman that thought turning her back on her own kind wouldn't come with a price."

"I didn't turn my back on my kind!" She tried to protest but it sounded like a lie even to her own ears.

"How would you call it then? You stopped in the middle of your duty because of him? You, of all people, couldn't torture a demon? Asking someone else to take up your post? Giving him food and water and pies and a blanket? What is he anyway? Your pet? Your fuck boy? What is he to deserve your kindness anyway? To deserve you betraying us?"

"Conor stop!" Ivorel said taking a step back though he hadn't tried to reach her as he harshly spoke of her latest acts. "You don't understand, you don't know how it's like to be me! Feared amongst your own, used like a killing machine!" Her voice broke on the last words and she shut her eyes, trying to keep the emotions that were threatening to drown her.

"But that's what you are, Ivo." Conor said, speaking very softly, taking small, careful steps towards her, keeping his sword low as he extended his other hand, slowly reaching for her cheek, watching as she closed her eyes again, leaning in the cup of his palm. "You are, a killing machine. You are a woman who's life belongs to the military, a woman that takes orders and can't fail." He felt her shake her head, like she tried to silently deny his words but Conor knew, he had her now. He had her exactly where he wanted her to.
"You know what happens to a weapon that fails it's master? We throw it away Ivorel, because a weapon that can't even do it's job, is not worthy anymore. There is no use for it." Conor said, speaking like he would speak to a frightened child, hushing her down, his thumb running up and down on her cheek, feeling her hot tears stain her cold skin. He had never seen her cry and truly, she did make a beautiful sight for the eyes, standing there surrendered, with closed eyes just leaning on him. But Conor wanted more. He needed her broken, utterly defeated.
He closed the small distance between them, wrapping his arm around her slender shoulders, feeling her head press against his chest.

"So, you know what I did Ivorel?" He asked, a smile playing on his lips. "I sat down and wrote a report of my own. Well, actually, I wrote two reports. One went to the King and the other one went to Lord Orthon. And in those reports, I informed both of them, that you, our beloved little weapon was malfunctioning and we couldn't keep using it. Do you get it now?" He asked, so pleased with his betrayal, so proud of his bitter words.

Ivorel was lost in a world of her own tangled thoughts. She knew Conor was touching her, she could feel her cheeks moist from her tears but none of those things mattered now. He was so painfully right, to call her a weapon right in her face, like nobody had dared to do before. It was like, everything that had been ever said behind her back she now got to listen to, loud and clear, stripped from any fancy words, stripped from the big titles and her own history. In the end of the day, Conor was right. She was born and raised in this war and she had grew up to become the perfect weapon for her kind. How stupid had she been, thinking that if she got to the Black Hand, somehow, that would save her life, proving she could still do what she was meant to. She leaned against his chest and felt like he was the only thing that kept her from coming apart.

But then....

Then he went on speaking. And as he spoke, Ivorel listened and as she did, the feelings of shame, of defeat, of regret started to change. They became, anger and frustration and determination. And when she looked up, her eyes were two bottomless black lakes of nothing and her lips were curled up, in a devilish grin.

"You betrayed me." Ivorel said and before he could react, she pushed him away from her, making him stable. "You did this!" She yelled, unable to fathom how he could have done something like that, knowing it would end the world as she knew it, knowing it would cost her everything! Or, had he done it exactly because he knew what would happen to her?
"YOU BETRAYED ME!" Ivorel yelled, making the shadows come off the ground in one flowy movement, painting the grass beneath their feet a darker shade of green that almost looked black.

Conor had woken up something he never wanted to go up against. He rushed backwards, his eyes never leaving her as he could feel shivers coming and going on his spine.
"Ivorel what are you doing?"

"You did this Conor!" She said fighting to keep her hands by her side, knowing that if she didn't, Conor wouldn't stand a chance against the anger inside her that demanded revenge for the stab in her heart.

"Me? No Ivorel, you did it when you chose a demon over your own kind!" He yelled unable to hold back his frustration even when he knew his life was on the line.

"He was right." Ivorel said, smirking even now. "You are jealous!"

"Oh, so now he knows what I'm feeling?"

"How could he NOT?" She asked and the shadows trembled synced with her voice, rattling the leaves on the ground. "You held a sword at a chained up prisoner because he dared to assume you lusted me! You dared to tell me what's right and wrong while I was sick because he was WATCHING!" Ivorel yelled again feeling her hands shake in anticipation of killing him, of taking him in the void with her, leaving him there to die slowly, trapped in his own mind.

She didn't wait to hear his answer! She took a step forward, as her shadows rushed to meet him. Conor screamed, like the coward he was, even before the shadows formed clawed hands, tearing away at his flesh, stealing his sword from him. And as they threw him on the ground, Ivorel leaned over him with an expressionless, stoic face.

"You deserve death!" She whispered over the still screaming Conor, that tried in vein, to brake free. "But you deserve guilt more!" She announced her verdict, just a moment before his face got covered up by the same cocoon that had knocked Vox out more than a week ago, when she captured him in the woods.

Pushing herself as hard as she could manage, whispering to her bleeding heart that she would regret killing him, even now, even after what he done, Ivorel unclenched her fists, slowly. She stood over him, deadly as only as she could be, breathing heavily as she fought back her own need to spill blood. To get back to the one who had wronged her.
And finally, Ivorel could see the real world again, the colours stormed back at her, making her dizzy. She took another step back, allowing her feet to give up, falling on her knees as the shadows returned to their original owners, leaving her with Conor's senseless body and her pain.

At least, she could still feel the pain.

 

[Roaring_Dragon]

Vox stood at the edge of the treeline, indecisive. He had told Ivorel that in the case they split up, they should meet in the oak grove he had seen. His brain said that he should follow ahead with the plan, or even better, now that she wasn't around, for him to simply take off and leave her behind. He was free to lose her in the thick forest and head towards the Devil's Walkway on his own. His blood perked at the thought of returning to the battlefield to do what he felt he must.

Yet his eyes returned to the spot where Ivorel had disappeared at the other end of the clearing. He fought it, he really did. A thousand reasons belittled him in his mind, scorning him for what he wanted to do. And then, he saw the male elf, Conor following her trail, tracking her before disappearing in the exact same point she had.

"Fuck it" he murmured to himself. He tried telling himself that if she died, then he would never gain the information he wanted about the operation to the Scorched Wastes. Where else would he find a cooperative elf that could helped achieve what he wanted? Throwing himself after the duo, he changed trajectory, putting the oak grove to his back. A niggling laughter nagged at him in his mind at his actions, sardonically. He ignored it.

It took Vox a lot longer to track the two. He was an accomplished tracker, reading prints and terrain easily but even his skill did not match the ease in which the elves tracked. He followed footprint after broken twig after trodden leaf, plodding his way though the thicket. And then; he heard Ivorel's yell, voice filled to the brim with pain and anguish and all thought of reading the terrain flew out of his mind as he used her voice as a beacon, racing towards her.

He saw her as soon as he heard Conor's scream. She pulsed with darkness, the air shimmering around her like a mirage. The fury around her warped the shadows into claws that he knew so well. Her eyes were black wells of pitch as tears streamed down her face. The darkness and fury touched something in Vox's own black soul as he briefly admired the creature of destruction in front of him.
And then the shadows reached out, wrapping both herself and the other elf in a bottomless void, hiding them from view. The darkness swirled like a typhoon, spinning and sucking in any offered shadows in the surrounding area. Vox took a step back from the black mass as his own shadow threatened to join the fray.

Then, the void dome was gone, all shadows seeping into the ground save for a warped cocoon around Conor. Ivorel was on on her knees in front of him as she stared blankly into the cocoon. Her eyes were swirling with malevolent pain and Vox felt a strange string of emotions tug inside him at her state. Slowly, he approached, not because he was scared of her, but because he thought that if he made any sudden movements, she would break and crumble onto the ground at his feet. He gradually got down on one knee, entering into her field of vision. His eyes were careful, trying to let little emotion escape. How would she feel now if she knew that her display of power had set his heart beating and it had nothing to do with fear? She would probably nor appreciate it. Best not let her know.

He didn't say anything at first, allowing her to feel his presence but not his words. Whatever pain she was in, it was not his business to analyse. He didn't know the words to make her feel better, or the ones to make her feel worse. After a time, he offered his hand out, to draw her up from her knees when she was ready.