Tainted Love
Chapter One: A Familiar Stranger
It felt like every bone in his body had broken. The wounds were burning so terribly that he thought that his entire body was on fire. He felt the blood seeping through his clothes, and he could feel it dripping down his forehead and into his eyes, making it painful to blink.
"Foolish human," a voice menacingly hissed. "Did you really think that you can get in the way of our plans?"
He gritted his teeth in frustration, and summoned what was left of his strength into a spell. A bolt of white light flew from his hand and to his attackers. However, a shield of red energy had absorbed the spell and left the hooded figures unharmed.
Their laughing infuriated him, and he struggled to get up onto his feet. Even though every part of his body protested in pain, he ignored it.
He forced back a shout of pain when he felt jolts of energy burning into his flesh. They were toying with him, tormenting him with spells that he could have easily fought off if he wasn't hanging onto his life by a single thread.
He bit his tongue, refusing to scream. Still, he was only human, and he couldn't stop himself from collapsing onto the ground.
Even though he had fallen, they still decided to torture him. He could still feel the effects of their spells piercing through him like a thousand daggers, but strangely enough, he was beginning to become numb to them. The hooded figures were dark blurs in his eyes, and the gray sky above him was disappearing...
"So this is how it's going to end..." an unearthly voice mused. "After spending eight years searching for someone who could very well be dead...how quaint."
"Shut up," he snapped back.
"I can't help but find it amusing. You just wasted your life trying to find a girl that you're not even certain whether she's alive or not, and now you're about to die."
"She is alive. You can't prove that she's dead!"
"And you can't very well prove that she isn't," the voice replied matter-of-factly. "But I guess that even in the final moments of life, you still cling onto hope as a means of comfort. How typical of humans..."
Fate was certainly being cruel to him. Not only is he being tortured, but he was denied a peaceful death as well.
"You know...it does not have to end like this."
"...what do you mean?"
"Are you that dense? If you allowed me, I can take over and you wouldn't have to suffer at the hands of these idiots."
"You expect me to give you control of my body?!" he fumed. "If I were to burn in hell, I rather take you with me then let you walk this earth again!"
"Look around you, my friend. There isn't much of this earth left. What can I possibly do to make it worse?"
"You would find a way."
"Perhaps, but do you think I can do anything as terrible as what your attackers will do if their plans succeed?"
He was silent, not knowing what to say. He could feel his life slipping away, but he refused to give up. He didn't want him to have control; he would surely wipe out what was left of mankind.
"You're dying as we speak. You know what these people are planning. There will be more destruction and more bloodshed."
His words were sinking in, but he stubbornly fought for control. He couldn't believe him. He just couldn't...
"You know that there will be more victims. And if she is alive, she will be one of them."
The realization struck him, and he knew that he had hit a sensitive chord.
"Without a soul to occupy it, your body will be nothing more than an empty vessel left to rot on this very ground. If the girl is still living, it would be quite difficult for your corpse to protect her, now wouldn't it?"
The pain was beginning to subside; everything was growing darker. He was passing the boundary between life and death, and in a matter of moments, all that will remain of him will be a dead body.
"I can find her for you. I can protect her."
"Lies, all of them. All you care about is yourself! You expect me to believe you after all you've done?"
"Time is a factor here, my friend. You are passing on, and you know it. In a matter of seconds, you will be nothing more than a carcass for the birds to pick at."
The voice was right. He could feel himself leaving this world and to the great beyond that was known as the afterlife. No matter how much he wanted to stay, he couldn't. His soul was leaving his body, and he would no longer be bound by the chains of this physical earth.
And it would only be a matter of time until his killers would find her and take her life as they had done to many others. She would be nothing more than another innocent slaughtered, and he wouldn't be able to save her. She was the one who was the most precious, the one he wanted to protect most...
"...do you swear that you'll protect her?"
"I promise that I will keep her safe at all costs. You have my word."
He didn't know just how valuable his word really was, but something in him told him to believe him. If he didn't give him control, then there would be no one to save the one who meant most to him.
Even though more people would die, even if humanity would have another reason to fear for their existence...he was going to trust him.
Because her life meant more to him than anything else in the world. She was worth that risk.
"You better take care of her..."
"I will. I swear that I will."
"...can you do something else for me?"
"Of course."
"...please...tell her that I'm sorry."
Silence answered him. Instead of the amused chuckle or taunting remark that he expected, neither came. Was it possible that this coldhearted soul actually pitied him?
"Don't worry, my friend," he solemnly replied. "I will tell her everything."
He actually felt the corners of his lips lifting into a small smile as he lay dying on the cold ground. "Thank you..."
He had stopped breathing. His already slowly beating heart had ceased. For a brilliant moment, he was free from the terrible pain. He was leaving this earth to unknown boundaries, and he was leaving her in the hands of someone else.
Although he can't die with a clear conscience, he can die with a sense of hope.
I know that more people will die because of my decision, but it was for you. If someone can protect you, then I have no regrets Raven...
He had almost forgotten how warm blood was when it dripped from open gashes, or how pain was so overbearing that it hurt to even move a single inch. Blood was trickling down from his forehead and into his eyes, and for a second the world was painted a brilliant shade of the deepest crimson.
Ah, to be alive again...
"We have wasted too much time on the fool," he heard a deep voice say. "Open the portal."
As if an invisible hand had taken a knife and sliced the air, a tear appeared out of nowhere, revealing a swirling vortex of darkness.
"She has to be there," one of them said. "Our master will certainly be pleased—"
A cry of pain rang through the air as the hooded figure was knocked down with a beam of white light. The others looked back and to their disbelief, their victim was on his feet again, energy emanating from both of his hands.
It had been so long since he had seen the fear in men's eyes; how he mad missed instilling that feeling of dread in other people. This was going to be fun indeed...
Lit candles suspended in midair provided illumination in the dark temple. The brilliant colors of the stained windows painted the floor with myriad hues of scarlet, sapphire, and emerald. Lines of cloaked figures stood motionlessly at both sides of the temple, their eyes fixated at the center.
Indigo eyes stared from a face hidden in the shadow of the hood she wore over her head. Her petite figure was covered with a long, midnight blue cape, and blood red gems gleamed faintly near her neck and wrists.
An older woman stood in front of her in robes of crimson and crowned with a golden headdress. She had an all-knowing air about her, and her countenance was like that of a sage.
"Child," her rich voice echoed throughout the quiet temple. "This is the day of your coming of age. You are bound by sacred tradition to be present here at the Temple of Azarath."
No one spoke. It was as if everyone had been put under a spell by the clear voice of this woman. All eyes continued to watch in silence as she continued.
"The purpose of this ceremony is to discover your soul-self, the spiritual entity that dwells within every man and woman of the Temple. To be seen as a true child of Azarath from the eyes of the elders before you, you must succeed in awakening the entity that has been dormant within you for sixteen years. Are you prepared?"
The girl nodded, and replied confidently, "Yes."
"Then begin the summoning."
The woman in crimson stepped back and said no more. The girl closed her eyes in concentration, and the spectators waited to see what she would do next.
The girl opened her eyes, and they flared white from underneath her hood. She raised her arms over her head, revealing the black leotard and the string of gems she wore around her small waist. The edges of her cape flew around her like wings, and an unnatural wind flew through the temple, disturbing the flames of the candles.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she cried, and shadows loomed across the ground and gathered around the girl. As if they were alive, they entwined themselves around her until she was covered entirely in darkness. The shadows were manifesting into a shape. A head of a creature formed; it had a beak and two, white glaring eyes. A pair of great, obsidian wings stretched out magnificently before the woman in crimson and the rest of the astounded crowd.
The flames from the candles were suddenly extinguished, and the beautiful colors of the stained glass windows were nowhere to be seen in the fathomless darkness. It was like the temple was trapped in the gloom of eternal night.
The dark entity began to rise into the air, and the girl was revealed with her arms still raised over her head. Her soul-self ascended above her in the form of a majestic raven, its ebony wings flapping soundlessly above her.
Her eyes still flaring white, she dismissed the shadow, and as easily as she had summoned it, it disappeared in a swirl of black magic. Her cape settled around her body once more, and her eyes regained its original color.
The crowd broke into murmurs. She heard no words of approval, but rather tones of alarm and even fear. Obviously, the majority of the temple elders and her mentors didn't like what they saw.
"Well done."
The voice of the woman clad in crimson robes congratulated her, and at once the commotion had ceased. She approached the young girl with a warm smile. "You have succeeded in summoning your soul-self, and thus you are a true child of the Temple of Azarath. I congratulate you."
The girl removed her hood, revealing a pale, emotionless face and short lavender hair and a small, red gem on the center of her forehead. She bowed down to the woman and muttered, "Thank you, High Priestess—"
A muffled cry was heard, and the woman had fallen to her knees on the temple ground, clutching her heart. The girl dropped all formalities of the ceremony and went to her side. The shocked monks began to gather around the woman, but she gestured them to stay where they were.
"High Priestess, are you ill?" a voice from the crowd questioned.
The woman shook her head. "No, I am all right. Please do not be worried."
She looked to the girl at her side. "Raven, would you escort me out of the temple?"
The young empath nodded and slung one of Azar's arms around her. She lifted them both up from the ground and the crowd dispersed to make room for her. She walked to the double doors of the temple entrance and opened them.
As they walked through the streets, people bowed respectfully to the woman in crimson, who politely nodded to them. Many asked if she needed assistance when they saw the smaller girl helping her, but she responded with a kind smile and told them no.
Raven brought her in front of her home and they entered the living room.
"Azar, sit down and I'll make us some tea." She said, and the priestess did as she said.
"Child, you need not worry about me."
The girl shook her head as she heated a kettle of water and prepared the herbal tea. "You shouldn't have held the ceremony today. If you felt sick, you should've rested."
"Young Raven, I am fine," she assured her apprentice. "And what you are saying is nonsense. Today was your coming of age, and I would not cancel your ceremony just because of a few moments of discomfort."
"But you almost fainted, and this isn't the first time it's happened," the girl replied defiantly. She poured the boiling water into two mugs. The clear water turned a dark color from the tea herbs and flowers that were in the mugs, and she handed one to Azar who accepted it gratefully.
"Child, you are always so serious," the priestess said lightheartedly. "Stop worrying about my health for a second and congratulate yourself! Your soul-self has successfully taken a tangible form, you should be proud."
Raven bent her head and the steaming liquid inside her mug reflected her solemn countenance. "I don't know if I should be proud."
"Why is that?"
"Didn't you hear what the priests were saying?" Raven questioned. "They were afraid of what they saw."
"Do not listen to them," Azar consoled her. "Everyone's spiritual entity has a different form. Yours is no exception."
Not completely convinced, Raven said nothing and quietly sipped her tea. A knock sounded on the door, to which Azar replied, "You may enter."
The door opened and a small group of cloaked men stepped into the room. They were the elders of the temple, and they all served as Raven's mentors at one time or another.
"High Priestess, may we speak with you?" One of them asked, and settled his eyes on the adolescent girl. "Alone."
"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of my apprentice."
They all shifted uncomfortably. Raven noticed this and stood from the chair.
"It's all right, Azar," she said without a hint of irritation. "I'm going to take a walk."
She made her way to the entrance, and the priests moved aside for her. She noticed the slight fear and anxiety in their eyes, but she didn't comment; she was used to it by now. She left the priests alone with Azar and closed the door behind her, not bothering to stay around to listen to what they had to say.
Raven walked out of the sanctuary of Azarath and into the woods that surrounded it. The shadows welcomed her, and she strolled down the worn path through the tall, aged trees.
The leaves were tinted with a hint of silver at the edges, and flowers of blue and white grew from the enchanted ground. The forests of Azarath were much different than those of Earth. She was sure of it.
She often took refuge in the forests that surrounded the cottage she lived in with her now deceased mother. She used to love walking to that clearing that was tucked away in the desolate part of the forest. She remembered just sitting there near the small pond and gazing at the stars until it was too cold to stay out.
But now that she thought about it, she wasn't happy back then. Being by herself day after day, unable to communicate to a distressed mother...that was not the ideal childhood.
No, Raven wasn't happy then. She wouldn't be happy until she found a white-haired boy with gentle blue eyes at the clearing. A boy who would talk to her, a boy she could laugh with, and the only one who was never afraid of her. Even when she accidentally revealed the dark powers she never understood until now.
She shook her head, and scolded herself. She shouldn't be dwelling on the past. Even if that boy accepted her, she never saw him again. She left Earth eight years ago, and she doubted that he even possessed the slightest inkling that she was now living in another dimension.
Still, she couldn't help but wonder what had become of him. Did he find the debris of her destroyed cottage and see the corpses of her mother and her killers? What was his reaction? What was he doing now? Did he remember her...was he looking for her?
Again, she chided herself. Wishful thinking wasn't going to reunite her with him. It wasn't going to bring him here.
Rorek is a memory. And she would have to deal with it, no matter how much she didn't want to.
He was dumped unceremoniously onto the ground. The portal closed up behind him as his eyes tried to focus on his new surroundings.
Silver treetops and unusual foliage greeted him. He was in a dark, undoubtedly strange forest of some sort. Gritting his teeth, he stood up on his feet, ignoring the warm blood that trickled from his injuries.
He was able to kill his attackers, but the bastards did a number on him before they met their demise. This new body was already on the verge of death before he possessed it, and the freshly inflicted wounds weren't making his condition any better.
He was too injured to heal himself. Even if he were able to heal his wounds, he would be left vulnerable.
This couldn't be the end. Not yet. He waited more than a millennium to finally experience the freedom he had longed for so long. Dying now was not an option.
He figured that he would have to heal himself, but not here. This was out in the open; he would be asking to be attacked. He needed somewhere more concealed where he would be kept out of sight.
He staggered through the forests, his blood leaving a crimson trail as he walked. He struggled to keep walking, even if every part of his body protested. Pain was only temporary, and then his strength would return to him soon enough...
Even though his will was made of steel, his body wasn't. His foot slipped and he stumbled against a tree. Frustrated with himself, he pushed against the trunk for support and struggled to stand on his feet. His head hung low as he tried to catch his breath, his unnaturally long white bangs spilling over his eyes.
That was when his ears picked up the sound of light footsteps, and his head shot up when he heard them.
Deep amethyst eyes stared at him in shock. Dark violet hair was cut to perfectly frame the sides of a youthful face that he found to be quite lovely, even in the terrible state he was in. Her small form was hidden in a long blue cape, which was held together by a circular red jewel.
The crimson gem embedded in the middle of her forehead confirmed it. It really was her. This is the girl, the one he had sworn to protect...
He saw recognition flash briefly in her eyes, and her pale, full lips parted slightly in surprise.
"You..." she muttered in a soft voice. "Is it really you...?"
He couldn't give her an answer even if he wanted to. The world faded from his view and so did she as he collapsed onto the ground.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I know what most of you are thinking: what just happened here? Sorry if I confused any of you, but I promise that this story does have a plot. I don't like to rush right in, and don't worry: like I said, everything will be explained. Anyway, thanks for your reviews, and I hope you stick around to read the rest!