Immortalis
The snow fell gently, blanketing the forested area in a loving white embrace. The shadows of the trees painted a strong contrast against the soft snow and light gray skies. All was quiet and serene, not a sound could be heard; although it was only midday, it seemed everything was hummed asleep by the calm weather.
Suddenly, a black cloaked figure emerged from the shadows, entering the clearing from the East. Looking around, a small sigh could be heard before the figure leaned against a nearby tree. Just as suddenly, a red cloaked figure made their way into the clearing from the West. Upon seeing the figure from the East, a light laugh escaped their lips.
"What are you laughing at?" East asked angrily, not afraid of conflict.
"You." was all West said as a third player came out of the wood-work from the North, cloaked in a light gold. Finally, and just as quietly, the last member, clad in a dark blue, approached from the South.
"Are we all met?" he asked with little enthusiasm, as all eyes turned to him.
"Are you always this boring?" the figure in black replied, earning a snicker from the red.
"Were it not She who called us, I would be forced to remove you head from your shoulders."
"Tch, touchy, touchy."
"My children, newly awakened, and already at each other's throats?" a figure, obviously woman, in a light silver, blue, and lavender cloak, seemed to form right from the snow in the center of them all. The other four bowed in unison at her arrival.
"Forgive them Lady." The one in gold asked with much respect.
"Yes, too much sleep makes them intolerable." The one in red added, a smile apparent on her voice.
"She did not ask for your input, Nalesa." The figure in dark blue reprimanded her, causing her anger to rise.
"Come on, Thaoin, you know she is right." The figure in black mocked again, only to find himself in a position of his back thrust against the tree he had used as a rest; his feet a foot or so off the ground, and Thaoin's hand on his throat.
"One more word from you, Ezra, and I shall crush your vocal cords." Thaoin began to squeeze, while Ezra had a look of laughter on his face.
"Thaoin." The woman in gold was upon the two in a moment, placing a gentle hand on Thaoin's shoulder.
"Adia." His voice was pleading, yet he loosened his grip, allowing Ezra to slide his feet back onto the solid ground. Nalesa laughed as the four of them reformed their circle, awaiting the words of the Lady.
"Are we finished? May I continue as to why you have been awakened?" The four knelt down on their left knees; right arm slung across their right thighs, and bowed their heads in apology.
"Please, Lady, tells us why you called us." Adia replied, not looking up from the ground.
"Our time, my children, has come, and gone, and it seems it has come again. Gather your three best, we shall determine the level of abilities these dominate creatures possess. Dismissed!" her orders had been given, and they bowed deeper.
"Yes Lady." The four replied in unison, then stood as they watched their leader disappear into a beautiful, gentle twister of snowflakes. Silence had fallen, the only movement came from the white powder which continued to rain from the skies relentlessly.
Suddenly, Adia removed her hood, and gazed up at the gray skies, her long black hair cascading just passed her breast, in large loose curls. Thaoin watched her, when Nalesa did the same.
Nalesa looked much like the other female, save for the fact that she was shorter, and her hair was blonde. Aside from that, the two could have been identical, with their bright green and hazel eyes. Ezra watched the blonde, licking his lips, Nalesa smiled while continuing to stare at the sky.
"Keep that up, Ezra, and you just may find yourself incapable of pleasure."
Adia smiled at the other woman's playfulness, then turned her gaze to Thaoin.
"Nothing like a little sexual tension between leaders." And with that, she followed in the steps of their Lady, disappearing into a twirl of snow. Nalesa nodded, then backed up slowly, fading into the shadows, leaving just Thaoin and Ezra.
"Just like old times, eh?" Ezra joked, while Thaoin rolled his eyes and slowly made his way towards the shadows, eroding away into snow as he did so. Within moments, it was only Ezra, who simply sighed out a laugh.
"Just like old times." He restated with more conviction, then dispersed himself into snow, like a bubble that has been popped.
* * *
Slowly, Nalesa made her way along the street, the three best behind her. They were dressed in cloaks similar to the one she had in the clearing, red, which she still wore. The people on the streets were watching her, shaking their heads in confusion as her eyes went from building to building, until she found what she was searching for.
"Hmm, this should be fun . . ." she whispered to herself as she and the three others entered the clothing store, only to emerge an hour and a half later with new clothes.
Nalesa had slipped into a pair of form fitting black pants that hid her black shoes, and a black corset with nothing beneath it. She let her blonde hair down freely, and the only jewelry was the pendant of her stature and Kingdom: a ruby cut into the shape of a wolf. Her three followers – two women and one man – dressed in something similar to her.
The first woman, a red head named Naoma, wore a loose, white, long sleeved shirt where the sleeves only connected underneath the socket; a black corset that had thick straps over the shoulder; a black, knee length business suit and nearly the same hidden boots as her lady, which snaked up her legs and ended at mid-thigh. The second woman, a black haired vixen named Elspeth, was in a pair of black leather pants and a tight, dark red shirt with the sleeves long and the neckline dipping so you could almost see the bra she wasn't wearing; and had black boots with a stiletto heel.
The man, who had his head fully shaved and answered to the name of Elahue, wore a black trench coat with a simple white poet's shirt underneath it; a pair of dark colored slacks, and nice dress shoes. Each of the followers had a tattoo on their neck, the form of a red wolf.
It was snowing, and the people on the streets dashed madly from store to store, trying to finish their holiday shopping before the season was over. The cold never bothered the four though, nor would it ever. Walking, they could see their breath, but showed no amusement or any other sort of emotion to it.
Suddenly, Nalesa stopped, and turned her gaze from straight ahead, to an alleyway off the main sidewalk. Strutting down it, she came upon a door: a hidden bar. How quaint.
As the group entered, they were assaulted by the sounds of music, foreign to them and yet somehow, beautiful. Glancing of towards the bar, she found the man pouring the drinks to have an expression on his face that told her she should go over to him. Smiling, she held up her hand to her three best, telling them to stay behind as she walked over and leaned onto the bar, flashing him her most charming smile.
"You're one of them, aren't you." It wasn't a question, more of a realization he had come to, as he re-scrubbed the counter.
"One of what?" she played along. True, there were still a few who knew of the old ways, but she wanted to make sure he didn't have her confused with something else. She wanted to be absolutely sure.
"One of the True Immortals. Those that feed on blood and flesh to sustain their lives."
Her smiled became something more as she leaned into him, whispering in his ear.
"Yes." Her breath caressed his neck, and he shuddered. When she leaned back, he smiled and even laughed a little.
"And here I thought they had all died off."
She smiled, giving him a peek of her cleavage, which he greedily took.
"True evil never dies; it only sleeps for a time." Slowly she lifted her right hand over her head, and let it fall gracefully to her side. Recognizing the signal, the three separated, making their way to mingle in the crowd that was slightly dancing in the rather large room. After watching her children begin to wander, she turned towards the bar tender again, and smiled, exposing her sharp canines and outside incisors.
"Are you waiting for someone in particular?" He asked, and she smiled at his forwardness. He thought he had a chance with her!
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am."
He looked slightly down and upset, then smiled again.
"And who might this person be?"
Leaning forward, she was a breath away from his lips.
"My husband."
Subtly, a pair of arms encased themselves around her waist, a pair of lips found their way to her neck, as a smile played across her own face.
"Well, speak of the Devil." She whispered, and his lips smiled in return.
"And the Devil appears." He whispered into flesh, causing a shiver of pleasure to go down her spine. His smile grew as he continued to kiss her neck.
"You know Ezra, my husband is a jealous man; if he sees us together, you might end up dead."
His grip around her waist tightened as she eyed the bar tender with a smile on her face.
"I don't think he'll mind if I barrow you for a lifetime."
She laughed as he pulled her away from the counter, and spun her so she was facing him. The laughter on his face only grew as she lifted up her right leg and held it to his waist as he gripped under her thigh to support her. His other arm was still around her waist, and she wrapped her arms around his neck while he carted her out onto the dance floor, spinning and such as if they were professional dancers.
As he set her down, she laughed at his wardrobe: a black, short trench coat opened with nothing underneath, black boots and a pair of black jeans that hung low on his waist. His sandy tan hair was a mess, and his ice blue eyes were as clear as ever. Around his own neck was the pendent of his stature, a mighty dragon formed from an amethyst gem. Naturally, his followers would have the same image tattooed on their necks.
Leaning forward, she rested her forehead against his own. Moments later, he made the move forward, and captured her lips with his, showing her the passion of an aged love. When he released her, she smiled wider.
"Just like old times." He muttered, and spun her once more.
"Do you think Adia and Thaoin are having this much fun?"
He paused for another moment, then laughed.
"Not a chance. But I must say," he began, eying her outfit, "I do believe I am going to enjoy this generation."
She laughed, and he pulled her in for another kiss.
* * *
Thaoin found Adia right where he thought he would: inside the history section of the local library. She was brilliant that way, why become reacquainted with people you would know until the end of time, when you could simply study up on your enemy? She even blended in with the rest of the students there; they had done this enough times to know that as soon as one awakens, they find a place to retrieve the most up-to-date fashion as so not to arouse suspicion.
Her outfit today consisted of a white poet's shirt beneath a sports bra-like crochet cover, a pair of jeans and converse sneakers. Her long black hair was pulled back into a sloppy bun, large ringlets spilling out and down her back. Glancing around, he spotted her three best women, perusing the shelves, dressed similarly to his current interest. While he wasn't able to see her pendant, he knew it was there; the emerald raven was hard to forget, much like her followers could not forget, the custom to have their master's symbol tattooed onto their necks, just above the collar bone.
His own outfit, closely mirrored by his followers, was a simple white, button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, a pair of faded blue jeans and sneakers. His pendant, on the other hand, was clearly in view: an opal horse.
After nodding to his own men, Thaoin made his way to Adia, pulling up a chair to the table she was stooping over.
"How goes the reading?" He asked casually as she didn't even look up from the book she was gazing at.
"Thaoin, we have missed much since our last reign. And it appears as though we have our work cut out for us." She replied nonchalantly, flipping through page after page, while he tried to read over her shoulder.
"So, then what is the plan?"
She smiled, turning her eyes to meet his. It was as though time stopped with the formation of his charismatic smile. The smile she knew all too well.
"Well, this new land we have awoken in is different than the others. I do not think we can conquer this generation with force: political is the way it should be done. This government has what they call a president: something like a king. If we can get our Lady to become this, I believe we shall have easy access to everything else from then on."
He nodded, but before more could be said and questioned, another figure joined the group.
"Then that is exactly what we shall do. Summon Ezra and Nalesa; we begin at dawn."
Their Lady certainly had the ability to stand out while blending in. Her long, straight, silver hair up in the traditional roman style; her shirt a white camisole undershirt with a dark blue, long-sleeved button up, formfitting velour jacket that went down to mid-thigh and a pair of blue jeans. Around her neck, the amulet that signified she was the leader of them all: small yet intricate circle broken into four parts, with another, central circle. The Four had their pendant symbol in their own section, and in the center-most circle, the phrase, Era Immortalis. Adia and Thaoin bowed their heads in respect to their Lady, while the six followers bowed fully on one knee.
"Speaking of whom, was it not odd that they were so casual at our first encounter?"
Adia nodded while their Lady smiled at Thaoin's realization.
"I was surprised they were not in each other's arms the entire time. Ezra. Nalesa." Their Lady laughed with them, then calmly spoke their names under her breath. Within moments, the two were behind her, bowing their heads in respect.
"What is your bidding, my Lady?" Nalesa questioned with nobility as she and Ezra lifted their heads.
"If we cannot take this generation by force, then we shall do it with diplomatic grace."
The Four bowed again.
"Yes Lady."
* * *
No one was sure how it happened, or even when. Sometime throughout the year, a mysterious woman who claimed her name was Breńa de la Immortalis, won the hearts of the people. She become frequent in public places, delivering passionate speeches about how the people truly need to be treated; she gave them a reason to believe in the government and its systems again. So, it was no surprise that when she ran for President of the United States of America, there were few who opposed her. And those who did . . . disappeared.
When she was elected, the people wanted her to begin immediately, but there was still to problem of the current-and-still-in-office president. Well, that just wouldn't do.
Ever so causally, their Lady made her way into the oval office, follower closely by Nalesa and Ezra on her right, and Thaoin and Adia on her left. The group entered the room without so much as a knock, yet it was as if the poor, doomed man sitting at the desk was expecting it.
"Mr. President?" The silver-haired beauty asked as she leaned over his desk, enticing him with her feminine charm, making sure he looked into her pale gray eyes.
"Yes, and what can I do for you, Breńa?"
She smiled as she started to trace circles along his name plaque.
"Just one little favor."
"Anything."
"Die."
The poor, doomed man did not stand a chance as her words had no affect on him, while she nodded to Nalesa, who bared her teeth and attached herself to his neck.
The president died of a heart attack, that's what the newspapers had said. And that is what it looked like. No evidence of foul play. No blood. No crime. Just an old man whose time had been spent. Now, Breńa was their new leader; but the people didn't mind, and neither did she. Power received is power to be spent. And their Lady adored power more than those priceless gems offered her by her many admirers.
As the snow wafted softly from the gray skies, the five sat in the oval office, drinking in the success they so gained. Slowly, one by one came to the decision that they would return and resurrect their Kingdoms; now that their Lady ran the world, she would need their power incase opposed. Not likely, but still a possibility. Calmly, Thaoin stood, bowed to their Lady, and made his way to the door, followed shortly thereafter by Adia, and Nalesa with Ezra's hand lovingly on her hip.
The snow fell gently, blanketing the forested area in a loving white embrace. The shadows of the trees painted a strong contrast against the soft snow and light gray skies. All was quiet and serene, not a sound could be heard; although it was only midday, it seemed everything was hummed asleep by the calm weather. The Four stood, dressed in their original cloaks, their backs to their directions, feeling the snow caress their skin like a lover's hand
"We should do this again sometime." Ezra laughed, his eyes shifting from one leader to another, finally landing on Nalesa; his friend, his lover, his wife. She simply nodded with a smile.
"As long as People walk this Earth, and as long as We walk this Earth, we will always do this. It is Her will." Thaoin pointed out, and the other three nodded.
"Just like old times." The man in black laughed as the other three gave into a rare moment of laughter, before they slowly faded into the shadows of the forest.
The snow fell gently, blanketing the forest in a loving white embrace, and none were the wiser to the Immortals and their dealings.