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Post by Markus Everglade on Apr 10, 2010 2:15:58 GMT -5
“Oh yes, we’ve been madly and passionately in love ever since.” He nodded. “If only our families hadn’t been warring to keep us apart… but alas, after our long struggle, we’re finally together at your wonderful inn.” He flashed a smile, took Anella’s hand and went up the stairs, leaving the confused but happy inn keeper behind. Anella hugged him. “I love you! I have no idea how you come up with these things.” She laughed and he did too. “Do we get to us your real last name on the marriage certificate?” “Depends. Do you want to be Mrs. Woodcutter or Mrs. Roadkill? I think the choice is really up to you.” Raythor kissed her cheek, opening the door to their room. “Or we could be revolutionary and be the Nighthearts.” “No cute little euphemism for that one?” She said, looking around the room. Raythor looked at the double bed and sighed. Sure, she’d been in the room with him last night but that was when she hadn’t expected to sleep. Now it was probably going to be more awkward. He really wished he hadn’t given up stealing. Then he could have afforded two rooms and avoided thinking about this entirely. “How about um… Shadowlove? Yep, there’s your bastardization.” He smiled, setting their bags in the corner. “Anella and Raythor Shadowlove. I think we’d be widely respected.” “You put my name first.” She kissed him gently. “And how is Shadowlove any more girly than Nightheart? Because it isn’t.” Raythor relaxed slightly. He wasn’t sure why he had been so tense and uneasy. This was his sister’s former base of operations, but Lydrion and Kenetari had mostly lost their hold in Laina. He didn’t have anything to worry about, she couldn’t know where Anella lived or when their wedding was going to be. Or, at least he could tell himself that all he wanted. Raythor fidgeted. “You aren’t going to be sleeping tonight, are you Raythor?” “Not in the technical sense of the word.” He shrugged. “But I’m used to it so don’t worry.” Anella frowned, brushing her fingers along his cheek. “Oh… don’t look at me like that, that’s the worried look. I don’t like that look. I feel better, really.” She blinked. “I love you?” He tried. “‘It’s like being in a bunch of blackness…like I want to get out of my skin, but I can’t…’” Anella said softly. Raythor swallowed. “You told me that two years ago, the first time you showed any real sort of emotion. And I started to understand why you wear that mask all the time.” He looked away, mouth set in a line. “Why you don’t want to be touched, why you won’t let anyone get close… I know there’s always going to be a sadness in you and there’s nothing I can do about it. But I’m going to be there trying to as long as I live anyway, even if I lose over and over.” “Anella…” He said shakily, feeling incredibly vulnerable. It was just her, of course, which made it all right for his voice to shake. But he didn’t like doing this, not when she was having nightmares and not when they had just seen his sister. Maybe he couldn’t help it but he didn’t want her to have to deal with it, not now not ever. Even if she determined to. He sighed inwardly. Why have the same arguments again and again? Last night, when she had been there helping him and holding him and, more frustratingly, watching him break, it had helped. Normally, it would have taken him a week to feel this close to normal. Raythor hugged her. “Thank you.” He said simply. He could feel little wet drops hit his chest and he drew back with concern. “What? Why are you crying, did I do something wrong? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
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Post by Markus Everglade on Apr 10, 2010 2:19:31 GMT -5
“No, I’m happy.” Anella said, shaking her head. “You trust me… you have no idea what that means to me…” “Of course I trust you. You’re never going to hurt me.” Raythor said without thinking. Anella smiled. He had never been quite so confused, but if she was happy than it didn’t really matter. Raythor managed a half grin. “So, what will it be Anella? Woodcutter, Roadkill or Shadowlove?” “Anella Karian.” She said, drawing close to him again. Raythor felt his heart speed up. He had to work on repressing that. “I want everything that comes with that name. And you get all the silvery glitter that comes with mine.” He laughed, pressing his lips against hers briefly. “I’m sorry.” He said, looking guilty. She kissed him back, laughing. “Are you going to say that when we get married?” “Yes. Except it’s going to be ‘sorry, I know you were trying to marry someone else but they mixed up and,” Anella cut him off with another kiss. Raythor relaxed a little more. “I thought you were going to say I’m sorry I slept with you.” Anella said carelessly. Raythor opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. He took a deep breath, composing himself, and tried again: “When I what with you?” Anella blushed crimson, her mind catching up with her mouth. “Um…um… I j-just um…” “Was Rose lying to me?” Raythor asked awkwardly, stepping back and sitting on the bed. “A-about w-what?” She covered her face. Raythor turned his head. He caught sight of a mirror in the corner but didn’t think much of it, not really focusing on it. “About all couples sleeping together on their wedding night.” She didn’t manage an answer, just shaking her head. “Were you planning to…?” Anella nodded. “You don’t have to.” Anella shook her head again and he took that to mean that she didn’t want to. Raythor nodded. He’d kind of been expecting that. He didn’t mind, not really. He was more interested in what she wanted. “We should tell Rose that we did anyway, just to bother her.” Anella shook her head. “Raythor, that’s not what I-” Suddenly, he couldn’t hear anything. He’d lifted his head just a fraction of an inch and his eyes has passed over the mirror again. Then it was like he couldn’t look away or… he wasn’t sure what the ‘or’ was. Anella was in the corner of his eyes, mouth still moving even without sound. Raythor stood up and put his hand on the mirror, longing to step right through it. At first, there was only shadow behind the glass. Then two figures, himself and Anella, shone through with incredible clarity. “Sleep with me…” The image of himself said, standing behind Anella and hugging her waist. She closed her eyes, nodding. He started kissing her neck and she stayed perfectly still, eyes still closed. The picture shifted and he was kneeling in glass, his arm severed and gone, his head lowered, his clothes torn and barely clinging to his bruised and battered flesh. “Anella… don’t… don’t…” The reflection said desperately, blue eyes looking out at Raythor. The mirror showed him his fiancée, her face ashen white, staring up at the
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Post by Markus Everglade on Apr 10, 2010 2:20:49 GMT -5
scaffold where he was being executed with utmost horror. She dropped to her knees as his throat was cut and the body slumped to the side. Raythor was now vaguely aware that something not of the mirror world was touching him but he couldn’t seem to care. He watched as his parents died, as he stepped through the portal into the reverse world; watched as he danced with Anella and fought with Rose. Then the picture changed to Anella smiling at a man he barely recognized. She stepped toward him, holding him tightly against her. “I never got the chance to thank you properly…” She said, all of her focused on the man. “Davon…” Anella started kissing him with a degree of passion Raythor didn’t even recognize from her. Her hand went to the side of the man’s face and he saw a ring glinting on her third finger. Raythor, feeling ridiculously angry, shattered the glass with his fist. Someone screamed but the rage didn’t fade and he kept pounding on the mirror until every last bit of it was broken. As soon as his emotions became level, his eyes saw nothing at all.
****
Ivy had spent over half her life as queen. ****
Markus looked up at the moon, feeling his eyes glaze over. He couldn’t remember how he had gotten outside, or even how the moon has gotten so full. The prince had a fading memory of it waning the last time he saw it. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Anella said, hands folded behind her back. She smiled, her gorgeous silver face reflecting light on him. Markus vaguely grinned, unable to tear his gaze from the moon. For some reason, it had suddenly become fascinating. “We came pretty close two years ago, didn’t we? So very close…” “What?” He turned his head to look at her, finally and she smiled, sinking her fingernails into his shoulder. “You know exactly what I mean, you little fool.” She said, releasing one shoulder to draw her sword. Markus’s eyes widened and he started struggling but she didn’t let go and he couldn’t seem to move. “No one is supposed to resist me like this. No one can resist me.” “Anella, you don’t love me. Stop-” She stabbed the sword into his stomach and out again through his back. The blood rose in the back of his throat and he began struggling again, which just made the pain that much more intense. Markus pulled out his sword as he dropped to his knees, slashing at her legs. It bounced off as though he had just struck rock. The prince gritted his teeth and pulled Anella’s weapon out of his body. She stood above him just smiling, her face looking less and less like her own and more and more like a cold goddesses. Just before he bled out completely, her face changed into that of a demon. Markus sat up straight in his bed, thoroughly checking his stomach for gaping wounds. Again, nothing. He sighed, cradling his head in his hands. The last of his three murderesses had finally visited. Maybe now this would just end. He glanced over at
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Post by Markus Everglade on Apr 10, 2010 2:21:07 GMT -5
Laura, curled up in a tight little ball and fast asleep. She had told him to wake her up if he had anymore nightmares but she looked so peaceful. He didn’t want to disturb her. Markus got to his feet, heading to his desk against the far wall. He ran his hand over the wood, sighing. The drawers were lined with letters, the surface was scratched and covered with ink… but it was the only gift his father has ever given him smiling. At the time the prince had been seven and he had found it boring. Now he used it constantly. He didn’t have that many positive memories of his father but the ones he did have seemed all too powerful now. He reached up into one of the shelves, looking for some sleeping draught. He dropped his head when he couldn’t find it. He must have run out the week before his coordination. Markus moved to the window restlessly, leaning on the sill. It was snowing again, so it had to be cold, but he couldn’t feel it at all. Laura was certainly layered in so many blankets that she could have been hibernating for the winter. He smiled, about to get back into bed when he saw something outside. A canine figure Markus could barely see was growling at a frightened looking girl. Thinking it was one of the elementists trapped by a confused maid; he slipped on his boots and headed into the hallway. A guard started from his doze as Markus passed by. “Sir, do you need protection?” He asked with a yawn. “No. Try to stay awake.” Markus said with a faint smile. The guard nodded, standing straight. Markus continued down the stairs, bracing himself for the cold air but still feeling nothing at all. He could hear two arguing voices and he rushed toward the sound. “Look, this is one weird nightmare but I’d really like to wake up now.” A girl with tan skin, short black hair and thin looking white clothing said. She was holding up a stick and backing slowly and carefully away from a blue colored elementist, snow crunching beneath each footfall. “You should not have brought him here, I didn’t want this.” The elementist snarled in reply. “Mercury.” Markus reached for his sword, inwardly cursing when he found the sheath empty. The elementist turned his head with annoyance. “I don’t have time for you right now, Markus.” “Leave her alone.” “Jeez. My hero.” The dark haired girl rolled her eyes. “Keep your muzzle silent, girl.” Mercury countered. “Why are you here?” Markus interrupted, taking a few steps closer. “I’m here because she shouldn’t be.” “Why can’t you ever just make sense?” “This is none of your concern-” The girl whacked him in the back of his head with her stick. “That is one damn big wolf.” She said. Mercury cried out in pain and the water symbol on his forehead flashed. The girl froze in place. Markus’s eyes glowed blue and the snow touching his skin changed to ice. He raised his hand and it shot out at Mercury. The elementist cried out again as his body was covered in gashes. Markus his hand, irises swirling blue. “You know what I did to Graves, doubtlessly. Tell me why you’re here.” “To stop my son from killing your wife.” Mercury said quietly. The prince lowered his arm slightly. “I suppose you’d like an explanation… You remember the
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Post by Markus Everglade on Apr 10, 2010 2:21:22 GMT -5
Solkentons, the foolish family who believe all elementists could live together in one country? After their fall, the Shades got punished. Children of Shadows and Lights-” “I know that.” “Anyway, multiple groups set out to eradicate the Shades. But some were never found, some permanently switched to being human to escape among your kind. Overtime, their powers became repressed. The old order, the order that I belong to, believes that we have to remove the inhuman half breeds from this earth when ever we can find them to protect our kingdoms. I tried to tell him that your wife is not a mixed shade but he doesn’t believe in the Phoenix legend.” “Old order?” Markus said with confusion. “Our ancestors served the royal family before the Solkentons. Back when elementists lived among humans.” “Who is your son?” “You all ready know him.” “I think I would have remembered meeting your son.” “Markus Everglade.” A young man dodged around the frozen Serena. Markus felt like the wind had gotten knocked out of him. The pristine, polished looking blonde youth was remarkable only because there always seemed to be a shadow hiding his eyes. “Such a pleasure to see you again.” “The Promise Killer.” Markus said with disbelief. “But you’re… human.” “Well that was my choice.” “Promise Killer?” Mercury said, ears back. “How did you come by that moniker, Jaiden?” “The Calthans. I’ve been a little busy in the desert country as of late.” His child shrugged. “Having a little fun. And a few of them were business…” He glanced back at the frozen girl. “Why is my wife here?” “I was wondering that myself. I assumed she came with you. And you are not supposed to be here.” Mercury growled. “Why you married a human, I’ll never know. She tried to kill me with a stick.” “I love her.” Jaiden bared his teeth like a dog. “And I’m here because I just got off a job…” “If you’re killing halves why did you make the choice to become human?” Markus said with a bit of an edge. “Only Shades have the scorn of the gods and goddesses. And besides,” He took a step closer to Markus, “your father was my last job.” “What?” He felt himself go numb an instant before the anger set in. It was about ten times worse than what he had felt right before he killed Graves at the river. He was sure that his father was dead, that he was murdered. And it was very possible that he was looking into that murderer’s eyes. “When he realized he was dying, he begged for your life. Your useless, half human life. Not his own, not the life of a worthy pure blooded king. Your life.” Jaiden wrapped his fingers around Markus’s neck, still smirking, not yet applying any pressure. “I understand that the Elementi need to exist to maintain the balance of our power but you are scum. Less than scum. Audrion should have killed you the day you were born.” “But I’m not a murderer.” Markus said flatly. Mercury was just watching with amusement with apparently no desire to intervene. “And do you really expect me to
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Post by Markus Everglade on Apr 10, 2010 2:21:42 GMT -5
believe that you killed my father because of me after waiting nineteen years? I’m not that stupid.” “Pretty close, I imagine.” “You aren’t any less of a half human than I am.” “I was paid to,” Jaiden said, starting to look angry himself. His grip started tightening. “By the Calthan king. Etienne knew that Audrion would never help him in a war against untrained, poorly armed peasants. If you were on the throne it would be easy to manipulate you into stopping the revolution.” “Etienne was dead months before my father died. You’re lying.” Markus said blankly. “Tell him the truth, Jaiden.” Mercury sighed. “Tell him who killed Audrion.” Jaiden shook his head, still smirking. Markus wished now more than ever that he had remembered to bring his sword. Just one little flick of his wrist and… “I was asked to kill you by King Onbrin of Bloodroot. Not Audrion. You.” Jaiden admitted, looking more and more overconfident by the second. “But it had to be on Gladian soil. So when your father found out he kept you in Caltha- he knew Bloodroot would not rest until you were dead. But, as time progressed, Onbrin became more and more anxious. He was expected to take out the heir of Everglade in a month and it had nothing to show for it in three. Audrion’s spies told him this… he knew he couldn’t keep you in a country locked in revolution for much longer. So he made a deal with Onbrin- and with me. He let me kill him, Markus. He’d been planning to allow it all along.” “Do you expect me to believe that?” Markus said, fingers drifting to the flask on his waist. “What possible motive could have for confessing the murder of a king, to political corruption? All it would lead was your own death.” “Don’t you understand, Elementi? Audrion made that deal because he knew Onbrin would never rest until the political snub to his country had been erased with your death… though he has accepted your father’s. I’m telling you this because I stand on Gladian soil and I’m a mercenary- under your own Mercenary Clause you can’t touch me for the murder, only Onbrin. And I personally don’t give a damn what happens to him.” When Jaiden finished his explanation his smirk had spread across his face like a disease. Markus stopped thinking then entirely. He fired off a spell that badly boiled Jaiden’s shoulder, readying himself for a fight to the death. He didn’t care about the law, about the consequences of what he was doing. He wasn’t going to stop until Jaiden was dead. Jaiden growled from deep in his throat, jumping to the side and clutching his shoulder. He drew his sword and Markus laughed, immediately casting another spell and knocking the weapon to the ground. The prince could see the blue light shining from his eyes, almost as bright as they had been when Laura had sucked his energy.
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Post by Markus Everglade on Apr 10, 2010 2:22:05 GMT -5
('kay, that's all, thanks self!)
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Post by Ryan Eldershade on Apr 10, 2010 19:29:54 GMT -5
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jul 1, 2010 0:29:47 GMT -5
(End of Markus/Jaiden fight <3) “That little piece of metal doesn’t mean much against magic.” Markus said with a slight smirk. “Been walking around a little too long on two legs, Jaiden?” “Shut up, half breed.” Jaiden shouted, firing a spell back. It just barely missed, freezing the only miniscule part of Markus’s sleeve not touching his body. The prince retaliated, missing entirely but managing to take out a significant portion of the barn door. He could hear horses making terrified sounds inside but he ignored it. They both decided to turn the snow into ice shards at the same time and there was a series of scrambling to avoid as many as possible that actually caused Mercury to laugh. Both of them were covered in tiny cuts and Jaiden quickly started healing them. Markus opened his palm, boiling the blood in the cut on the elementist’s arm. Jaiden cried out and Markus grabbed the wound and hit him across the face. Jaiden responded by biting the prince’s fist with razor sharp teeth, pulling back and making the now gushing blood in Markus’s hand sink into his skin like corrosive acid. Markus screamed, shaking his hand and desperately trying to heal himself before the acid got to the bone. Jaiden chuckled and his eyes flashed blue, making Markus scream again as he turned all the rest of the exposed blood into ice. “Haven’t learned ice yet have you?” He shoved Markus to the ground and aimed a kick at his head. Markus grabbed his leg and held on tight, concentrating until he could manipulate Jaiden’s blood inside his body. He smiled with satisfaction as the bones in Jaiden’s leg shattered and the sound of incredible pain filled his ears. Jaiden hopped backwards, swearing profusely as Markus scrambled to his feet. They were both breathing hard, both pretty severely wounded. The entire front of the barn was lined with holes and the snow beneath their feet had evaporated to reveal grass singed by the steam. “Just…fucking…die…” Markus forced out, trying to explode him from the inside. Jaiden shook his head. “Doesn’t work on anyone with water magic, you idiot. We’re both fairly drained, aren’t we?” Jaiden said. His leg glowed blue and he set it on the ground, though it still seemed crocked it was usable. Markus sent a blue beam of energy into his chest while he was distracted, before moving forward and hitting him in the face again and again. He heard a snap as Jaiden’s nose broke, which was exactly when the acid reached the bone in his wrist and he was forced to recoil in pain. He used his good hand, though it was his left, to stab Jaiden through his chest, before flipping his ‘brother’ around to hold his hands behind his back. Jaiden kicked back at Markus’s legs but he was too worn out to do much damage. Markus held firm, ignoring his wrist and told Jaiden calmly: “It’s over.” “Is it?” He turned his bloodied head. It was so red it was difficult to see his own skin beneath. “I think it’s just about to start.” Markus was about to ask what he was talking about when he looked up and saw them. Lining the castle walls, all the now lit windows, every door outside where the residents of Imperia. His family, his friends and his servants were all staring at him, surveying the damage, particularly the amount Markus had inflicted on Jaiden. Guards were standing close, unsure of what to do. Markus didn’t know how much of the fight they had seen. But he was pretty sure they all believed he was a demon.
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