Fantasy Piercing the Veil

[Amber10170221]

Beatrix was cutting a tree branch with her dagger when she felt the presence of Byakko. Her mind was in turmoil over everything. She didn't have to kill Victoria but she lost her temper when her parent's were mentioned. Beatrix could feel her emotions crashing over her like a large wave. This was the first war she ever had to partake in. She came from a happy loving family. Her father had always prepared her for something like this because he wasn't foolish.

"There is always a villain, Beatrix. Always someone who is greedy, selfish and full of evil darkness." Beatrix stopped chopping at the wood as her father's memory popped into her mind. "I will be fine." She mumbled standing up from her leaning position and placing her hands on her hips. "I'll be better when I can put a stop to this. I can't keep killing my people. They only follow Jalissa out of fear. They wouldn't be attacking me if they wasn't trying to survive Jalissa's wrath." Beatrix ranted as anger took over her sadness.

Dorian and Jevon stayed behind glaring at each other. "Maybe I should comfort her. Byakko seems rough around the edges. I would caress her softly and whisper sweet nothings." Dorian stated with a smile as Jevon deepened his glare. "She would punch you in the face." Jevon growled before sticking his tongue out at the vampire who rolled his eyes. Dorian copied Jevon with his own tongue blowing a raspberry at him. "You all are so uptight and be quiet before I tell Byakko to eat you."

 

[HolyBladeSeraphim]

Byakko nodded quietly as she went on. She had the need to vent her frustrations and he was smart enough to allow her that. He went to where she was splitting wood, and set another on the thick stump she was using.

“Chop..” Was the only word he spoke when she finished, his voice was stern but warm. A finger pointed to the log.

It was something Durandal had once done, when he was so overcome with anger, that he felt he would explode. Of course, it wasn’t with chopping wood, but a wing chun. He took all of his anger out on that training dummy until it was broken clean in two pieces.

Again, he repeated: “Chop. Use that pain. Use the hurt. Use it all, right here, right now...”

 

[Amber10170221]

Beatrix followed his instructions and let out a yell as she slammed her blade down as hard as she could. With each chop, she felt her anger releasing its hold on her. Then Dorian came to her mind and her anger flared up again this time towards Byakko. "And you." She said dropping her blade and pointing a finger at him. She jabbed it into his shoulder her eyes glaring at him.

"How dare you give your blood to Dorian." She scolded him as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Now I have to work twice as hard to keep the blood sucker out of my thoughts as well. I could have given him my blood. At least we know what elven blood does for a vampire. We have no idea what dragon blood does. It was foolish, Byakko and what sucks more is I know you did it for me. So now I'm stuck between slapping sense into you and saying thank you. I haven't quite decided yet." Beatrix ranted her hands moving around her as she talked with her hands.

Beatrix began stacking wood in her arms as she turned away from Byakko. She knew he meant well but she was tired of people sacrificing themselves for her. It just made the guilt harder to carry.

 

[HolyBladeSeraphim]

Byakko allowed her to continue once more, still not adverting his piercing gaze from her, even when she began to scold and turned to stack the wood. He lifted what she had gathered in her arms and tossed it. She wasn’t going to get away that easy.

“Bex. Chop.” He instructed again, this time moving to a dead oak nearby; he knew that even though she had a heart for nature, clearing the forest of this one would allow another to grow in its stead. Byakko tapped it with his hand, motioning with his head for her to humor him.

The tree was thick and very dry and no doubt she thought it impossible with the daggers she wielded. Bya slipped the strap that held his sword off his shoulder and offered her the weapon scabbard and all.

“Cut through it. Now.” He was so persistent with it, she was probably sickened of it. But there was a method to his madness. She was a warrior now and she needed to learn this lesson just as he had many years ago. Emotions were not something to discard on the battlefield. They were to be used!

 

[Amber10170221]

"I'm going to chop you." She growled before doing as she was told because it felt oddly satisfying. "And you could say more than chop, you let that filthy vampire bite you." She added trying to push his buttons since hers was pushed. Beatrix was jealous that Dorian could speak with Byakko through their minds. That was their thing and now they added a blood sucking leech to it. "Bet you and Dorian will be all buddy, buddy before this is over." Beatrix was letting her emotions out with her words even as she drove her dagger into the splintering wood of the dead oak tree.

"How is it going? Jevon is no fun. He is ignoring me and I'm bored. There is a hot spring in the woods. After we burn these bodies, we should all take a dip. No offense, you and Beatrix smell of sweat." Dorian sent his words to Byakko as he laid on the grass bored since Jevon was off smelling flowers and doing stupid fairy stuff.

 

[HolyBladeSeraphim]

Byakko stopped her mid slice, a golden glow around his hand as his did, which seemingly protected him from the sharpness of the blade. He had ignored the Vampire speaking via mind link.

“If you cant cut a dead tree, how do expect to rule a kingdom after all of this is over?” Was his simple response, letting the dagger go. His buttons couldn’t be accessed. She was hurting and lashing out. Again, he shoved his weapon for her to take, moving behind her.

His arms winded down hers, placing his chest against her back. “All of the pain. All of the guilt. Use it, let it feed your strength. Do not let them get away with this, Bex..” Flashes of the Bujinkan being destroyed played through his memory and the three they had slain and she would see such too.

Byakko followed through the motion of proper technique with her once and where to place the cut. “Use it. Chop it down and release yourself from everything.”

 

[Amber10170221]

The princess resisted the urge to lean back on him and she quickly straightened herself up. It was a fleeting thought that she overlooked. Beatrix grabbed the hilt of the sword. It was heavy compared to her daggers and she wonder if she could even use it properly. When he began showing her the technique she needed to know, Beatrix found it a little hard to pay attention. It took her a moment to refocus but when she did, she saw the Bujinkan Temple Byakko was picturing.

Then she saw her mother and father with spikes through their heads and paraded in front of everyone to see like it was some kind of show. Beatrix swung the sword at hate, pain and rage built up in her. Trees crumbled as rocks turned to ash and Beatrix eyes widen at the power Byakko shared with her. The pain of the trees hit her and Beatrix's mouth opened as she realize she had hurt them.

"Byakko!" She cried running to one of the trees cut in half. "Oh my, I'm so sorry. I can fix this. I think I can fix this. Oohhh…..I'm sorry." The princess whined sitting in front of one of the trees she had broken. "This is why I try not indulge such emotions. It only hurts others." A root from the broken tree shot out of the ground and slapped her across the face before digging back down. Beatrix placed her hands on the ground and squeezed her eyes shut. "I call forth the roots of the ground to lend your health to the ones I have broken." She whispered and the ground shook below them.

The roots underneath the dirt connected to the broken trees and a green light surrounded them. They started to grow from their broken pieces but they didn't completely grow back. When all she could do was done, Beatrix stood up and took a deep breath. Another root shot from ground and quickly slapped Byakko before darting back. Beatrix made a "ha" sound followed by a small giggle.

 

[HolyBladeSeraphim]

Byakko held his red cheek and nursed his bruised ego, rolling his eyes at the giggling Princess. But maybe she had a right of it? He retrieved his sword, clinking it back into its resting place, and strapped it back across his chest.

He’d watch her work, smiling softly at her care and warmth. She had such a big heart, even for
simple plants. Bex would make a fine ruler one day. Suddenly, he sniffed the air, grinning. A river! Bya was a sucker for water, you would of though he was a mermaid a not a dragon.

The Brood quickly reached for Bexs arm, hoping to tug her along as he excitedly ran for the sound and smell of rushing water. Several minutes later and they were at the scene of a beautiful waterfall, feeding a large pool underneath and a river disappearing further into the forest.

Getting to the edge, he’d immediately start to remove his clothing, leaving them and his weapon in a pile. He had no shame, as Bya dived into the pool, and what seemed like for minutes was he submerged. Coming up to send a splash her way.

“Come on, ‘Princess’. Don’t tell me your too shy to join me!” He’d laugh, covering his eyes with a hand while the other kept him afloat. Was he peeking?

 

[Amber10170221]

Beatrix’s eyes went as wide as they could manage at the naked man running towards the water. It’s one of those things where you want to look away but it happened all the fast. Her cheeks went a flaming hot red as she looked around as if he could be speaking to anyone else.

His eyes were covered and she narrowed her own at him as he challenged her. Beatrix could see her mother now scolding her for being alone in the company of a naked man. And could she forget about duty and responsibility to just swim around carefree.

Beatrix bit her bottom lip while she fumbled with the buttons of her shirt. “Oh so leave Dorian with the dead bodies while you two play around. Real cute.” The vampire scolded popping out of no where as Beatrix was half way done unbuttoning her shirt.

Jevon was following behind Dorian and had his head cocked to the side as he looked at Bex. Beatrix hurriedly buttoned her shirt back up. “I said we could all dip into the hot springs not just you and the princess.” Dorian undressed himself and jumped into the warm water.

A look of amusement fell over the vampire’s face as he looked at Byakko. “I will have her first.” He challenged in a whisper completely meaning to interrupt the two’s moment of bonding.

“Your mother would flip out.” Jevon giggled as he flew to her shoulder. “We wasn’t going to do anything. It was just a swim.” Beatrix quietly spoke as her cheeks were crimson.

“I’ll bath when you guys are done.” She stumbled over her words before running back to the wood they had chopped.

 

[HolyBladeSeraphim]

Byakko sighed, the moment ruined, though admittedly Dorian was right. His hand glowed under water, in the direction of the vampire, and the air felt heavy suddenly.

“First Seal: Four Winds..” He muttered under his breath, when a blast of pressure driven energy shot forth from his palm. It shook the pool, and created a wave that he hoped would take the devil to the other end of the earth.

He washed off the dirt, grime, and blood quickly and went to the the shoreline to retrieve his clothing. Bya only dawned his pants and boots, opting to dry naturally without wetting his shirt, letting it rest over his neck and carrying his sword in hand.

“You know Dorian? We may have been allies, in a different time when you werent bent on your selfish ways. - And you won’t win. Whatever game your playing, I won’t allow it to come between Bex and the crown..”

Without even waiting to hear a reply he turned back, a hand brought up with a certain finger extended.

 

[Amber10170221]

Dorian ended up on the grass and glared at Byakko. The vampire grabbed his clothes and put them on while listening to Byakko's words. "You can't become between Bex and the crown either. Don't forget your place, mate. She is a future Queen and you are just a dragon." Being a King, Dorian knew how monarchy worked. "I just want to have fun with her so it won't effect her ruling. You want to get attached. We are not the same." He said with a chuckle as he patted Byakko on the shoulder.

Beatrix had gotten the wood ready and carefully placed so the bodies would sit on it without the wood collapsing. The only work to be done was for them to be burned. She sat down beside Victoria's lifeless body and sighed deeply. "She would have killed you." Jevon told Bex as he placed a tiny hand on her knee. "I know." Beatrix looked down at the fairy and her lips smiled softly.

She could see Dorian and Byakko making their way back to her. At least she wasn't alone even if it was a blood sucking vampire and a dragon filled with rage. Beatrix stood up and walked past them. It was her turn to bathe in the warmth of the spring. It was a quick bath as they had wasted enough time. It felt refreshing to get days of blood and war off her skin. It didn't matter how much she scrubbed, it still scared her soul.

Her walk back, she kept thinking about her sister and wondered if she was safe. The mermaids were tough and wouldn't turn against her but it was worrisome that her sister was beyond the veil. If Jalissa found out she was still there. It would be disastrous.

 

[HolyBladeSeraphim]

By the time Bex had the returned, Byakko had gotten the fire pyre lighten and the plum of smoke rose high above the canopy. He continued to ignore Dorian, even after his little speech about getting too attached.

Was he getting too attached? He didn’t really know, but he knew he cared for the Elven Princess enough. Thoughts swirled in his head and he frowned while looking at the raging fire.

His crossed his arms over his chest looking over to Bex. “Its going to be dark soon. We should either look for a town by air or set up camp here for tonight.” Bya glanced back to the fire, “I wasn’t sure if you’d be comfortable staying here overnight..”

“Know of towns nearby, Dorian? Your the expert on this side of the Kingdom after all. Once we reach Setch, I can guide us to the capital.” Byakko had only been to the capital of the city-state once, but he remembered the route to Gungir very clearly. “We might have to find a good to hide those ears of yours Princess. They catch a decent price on the black market, from what I hear.”

 

[Amber10170221]

“We can find a village by air.” She answered him as she walked up to him. The fire burned bright as the bodies turned to ash. Beatrix noticed Byakko was in deep thought and she wondered if something was bothering him.

The palm of her hand rested on his shoulder and she passed some happy memories to him. It was a memory of her and Victoria sparing with their daggers. They might of been rivals but their matches were fun and exciting.

“If something is bothering you. You can talk to me Byakko.” She offered him wondering if the dragon ever had anyone to vent too. He seemed like the silent type that kept everything to themselves. “When you are ready to leave. We will go.”