"If you see death as the only way to love me, than perhaps it would be best that we part. For how can I love death, when it only sees me as an object of obsession?"
Quiet thief
The dirt was moist from the early rains and eagerly ready to produce the newest crops of the season. Slowly, the girl bent down and rubbed the clay earth in her long, slender fingers; she smirked and looked deep into the fields that had yet to produce any substance. "The time is nearly here, boys" she whispered. "You just have to wait a while longer." Her white/blonde hair fell into her light blue eyes that looked directly into the fields where a few extra sprouts had yet to germinate. "Just wait around a little while." The wind pushed its way out of the fields, whipping itself around the deep green leaves and strong stalks as though forcing the girl to recognize its presence. She turned on her heel and headed towards the broken down town that once held a preeminent and prestigious life; but now, it was run by field mice and large rats, spiders lurking around every corner. Ahead of her, she saw a dark haired girl running at full speed towards her. The girl was much younger and speedier than the white/blonde haired girl, but she held no control over the power that lay within the fields; at any point and time she could be killed, so she watched herself when in the presence of her superior. Breathing rapidly, the dark-haired girl stopped the reported to her master that she was able to contact the last missing piece. "So, he has been hidden from us? Inside a warehouse, near his place of residence? Hmm…no wonder we had a hard time locating his whereabouts. Good job, Jael. Perhaps now we can proceed with the plans to bring them back. After all, He has been waiting for this for a long time." The dark haired girl lowered her eyes and waited to be dismissed. "Now we shall go and talk to the Elders, and see what can be done about speeding up this unsteady process. Come Jael, your work is not over yet." With a snap of her fingers, she and her subordinate left, vanishing into a strange mist that covered only them, taking the two to a place where many wish never to go.
The old dungeon smelled of decaying and burnt bodies. The younger girl covered her nose and mouth, but the appalling smell was too powerful; she gagged a bit and felt her stomach boil and move uneasily. The white/blonde haired girl tugged her along, dragging her deeper and deeper into the darkness where the sound of chanting could be heard. "Come on," she hissed to the young girl, "They cannot be kept waiting." Jael felt the bile reaching up to the back of her throat and the smell of the dungeon was only worsening as they moved downward. The chanting became louder and louder, soon a call and response echoed through the stone building. Jael clamped her mouth shut and closed her eyes, fearing that if she uttered a single peep, something vile and rather disgusting would appear. Her authoritative figure stopped and looked down at Jael, who appeared on the verge of passing out from the ungodly fumes that surrounded them both. "If you are not up to the challenge then I will find a replacement. And you will lose more than your lunch. Is that clear?" Jael nodded slightly and moved faster, knowing that others before her were destroyed for less. She pushed her dark hair back and heard the white/blonde haired girl call out to the chanters in a distant unknown language. The chanters continued but the leader called back, beckoning for them to come forward and join the call and response. The white/blonde haired girl moved forward and spoke well of him in the strange tongue –"Argi tema tu cov ritga allu tisi moutrag. To corve mie herta tu canz tomi a grota te morte" –and waited for a response from the hooded leader. The figure simply replied with a "Hn". Jael looked deep into the finally cavern where the chanters stood and breathed deeply; the smell did not permeate the place of unnatural evil. The green fire in the middle of the floor danced and swayed with the rhythm of the chanters, casting its light onto the walls but with no shadows to accompany it. Jael pulled back and hid behind her master, hoping that if she stayed out of the way, she would not be cast into the small pit that held the fire back. The hood figure spoke and again, its voice harsh and scratchy; however, Jael's master simply answered back. "Te morte retaviti osida a lemat regaro. Olord tela sumplity wenderigo feltas to wert tia polita tuko, deranta te a cuorsa."The figure turned to face the girl that had spoken and uttered another "Hn". Its deep brown colored hood covered the face in a complete shroud of darkness. Jael attempted to flee, but her master held her arm tightly. The figure moved the white/blonde haired girl away from the dark haired girl and spoke in English. "Tell your master that when the moon rises upon a heap of red ash and the fair child walks out of the fields with the blood of her ancestor, then will the fallen rise once more. She may only be allowed to have you answer, for you hold something that she needs. Something that will protect you from the disposal which she hath dealt to others." He lightly touched her cheek and laughed when she pulled back. "You are strong, but not that strong. Tell them when they rise that they need more faith then what they had before. Tell them that they need to be ready for any test. And finally, tell them that this will prove their worth to their god, this shall be the final test for each of them; for whoever wins, will stand by His side. Tell them, child." He released her and the white/blonde haired girl smiled wickedly, casting down a look of hatred at her subordinate, who knew the final passage of the prophecy which would be fulfilled at a later date. "Tesmi Arigota," she said quietly, watching as the hooded figure answered his followers once more. The green fire leaped about wildly and danced insanely in the pit that held it back from the followers; the hooded figured laughed and howled as the white/blonde haired girl once more dragged Jael back into the world of the living, a place where the Elders dare not touch. "Quick," she hissed. "Get five of the red candles out of the abandoned church in Hemmingford and bring five of the black casted candlesticks. When they return so shall their light shine. And when they finally fail, so shall their flicker die." She moved in closely to her subordinate and whispered very carefully into her ear- "Be not proud that the Great Elder spoke to you. For pride is what killed them." She spoke these words softly, but with force so that the young girl would listen and heed her. "Now go and do your job!" She watched as Jael ran towards the other deserted town, frightened that perhaps her master held something up her sleeve that the Great Elder had not warned her about.
The corn grabbed her hand and pulled the white/blonde haired girl and pulled her into the fields, near the place that was once a clearing. She stood there and recalled some of the old memories of Isaac when he had the gift of preaching, but after he came out of the coma he lost some of that magic. She laughed and waited for the force from within the fields to tell her of the day's events. A slight breeze tickled her cheek and she knew that He had come. Whispering inside her head, He told her that the preparations should conclude by the end of the night and that her other helpers should be able to retrieve the five keys within the next few days. She nodded and approved of what she was being told, knowing that her other four helpers would be more competent then Jael, but her hopes had not given up on her yet. Worse comes to worse, she would make a great sacrifice. Her name fluttered through the stalks, beckoning her to come in deeper but she knew better. She might have been 4056 years old, but she knew to remain wary and distant of the friendly feeling that He was giving her. She also knew that the lack of blood was not helping to make their relationship anymore trusting. "I sent her out…she'll be back soon and if she's not then I'll find another who will be more productive and more pleasing." She waited and listened as the wind continued to talk to her. "Te muto ali seteria cuni wanditer. Mio tera sumi cantra telia setre. No, equi seta nomari te suti cellma a ti oti set nu mi wend amit. Cel tulu ik." Whether or not He liked her answer that was what she spoke. The alliance between her and Him was intact as long as He held His end of the bargain; and truth be told, even with an alliance between her world and His, she still did not trust one who killed His own for the pursuit of pleasure. She remembered dealing with others like Him, and how they wished to control her and the powers that only she held; she only had to look at the soul with her pale blue eyes and see what really lay inside the mortal body. She left quickly, not caring whether He wished she to stay or go; the only possession she prided herself on having was the will to chose. She may have chosen to set up an alliance with the untamed deity, but she also chose to remain uncontrolled. The stalks bent out of her way, creating an easy path for her to follow. Her long flowing black sorceress skirt lightly hit the dust and dirt, while her long-sleeved gypsy shirt causally covered her hands. The tips of her fingers touched the leaves and broke stalks that remained in her way. Her eyes scanned across the deserted town as she waited for Jael to return quickly; her patience was soon to reach an all-time high if she showed in the next five minutes. A task few passed. She watched as the town continued to disintegrate before her very eyes, leaving her to wonder if maybe this was a joke; a small town like this would have been easy pickings for her, but He Who Walks Behind the Rows saw what He called "potential real-estate". Perhaps it was because the last people to actually live here were the first Children not to kill themselves and keep most of the buildings occupied and unassuming. Isaac Chroner was the last to use the town, but nothing came out of it, with the exception of Samuel who was not ready to claim his right as a leader; most likely he would be killed the moment he started talking. After all, this was the usual routine of all the leaders. They began to think and immediately were killed. She moved quickly, hardly letting her feet touch the floor; she floated. That was all, she floated into a dead town, where the stench of decay still remained.
Jael returned and found her master wandering through the town, mumbling to herself about the endless screams. Apparently, the town was not used to another force intruding upon its history; she watched as the white/blonde haired girl grabbed her hair as the sounds from the dead came at her from all sides. "Master, what is wrong?" She moved away and dodged as her master thrashed around as the earth cried out to her. "Stop!" she heard her scream. "Stop! Earth! Stop the screaming! Stop the cries, stop the screams! I know! I know it all! Stop!" Blinking wildly she saw only Jael at her side, no corpses ambushing her from all sides, ready to tear her limb from limb. It was not the images, but the sounds that reached her delicate ears. Something within the tone and volume, something hidden deep with the screams; a message was waiting to be revealed. She stood and looked at her follower, who had retrieved the candles and the candlesticks, smiled and took them from her with force. A master is to never show weakness, she thought to herself. That will be the last time I give her the pleasure of watching me wither before her very eyes. She moved quickly and headed back towards the abandoned housing that Isaac once used for his own purposes and placed them directly on top of the mantle, underneath the crude crucifix. She turned quickly, startling her subordinate, and gave her quick instructions. "When the moon rises upon a heap of red ash and the fair child walks out of the fields with the blood of her ancestor, then will the fallen rise once more. Then will the red candles of their vitality, their joy of being reborn, and their undying passion to rule once more. Watch them Jael and make sure that when their flames are lit that they are not stifled by revile forces." Suddenly, she lifted her head up and laughed, her call carrying out to all. "First," she said smirking "I will return to my own dimension and rid the pest who wanted to destroy my immortal soul. Stupid girl. Oh well, she's probably dead after leaving her to my precious pets. Arachnids are so obedient." The threat was clear and Jael nodded, her gaze already on the five objects at hand. "Good girl, Jael, I know that somehow I can trust you to do these important things. Enjoy yourself, dark haired servant and remember as soon as those candles are lit, let nothing happen to them. Or else, it will be more than just your head that I will be wanting from you. And I'm not the only one that you will have angered through your stupidity." She pointed outside, toward the fields that swayed to the threat with passion. "He will be watching you as well." She smiled and turned her back on her follower. "Good bye, Jael. Don't get to bored." Without another word, she vanished into the mist, leaving Jael to guard the candles until they each were lit by the leaders themselves. She wished that they would hurry for her stomach needed to be filled with food. Even a demon of low position needed to feed their daily amount of blood; with the town empty and the others still searching for the Lost Pages, boredom would soon ensue and with a slim chance, take over her need for food.
The trees covered the landscape, with the exception of the small clearing in the middle of the private grounds. Only there could the sun shine its eternal light and allow the few woodland creatures the joy of warming themselves in the vast glow. Some deer gradually stepped out of the dark forest and entered nimbly into the light, wishing to eat the sweet tasting grass that only grew with the sun's touch; a small quail joined glancing around nervously, watching to see if any predators were on the loose and ready to feed upon her tender body. The bird gathered at the feet of the deer and carefully settled herself down, so her petit body could gather some warmth. She would have had her children gather around her, just as the little fawn gathered around his mother, but her children were not destined to do so. Fate snatched them away from her before she had any time to enjoy their company. Alone, she sat and watched as the lucky mother licked her child's head. And for a brief moment, time stood still and peace swept over the clearing. Again, the fawn leaned into his mother, allowing her to lick him clean and ready him for the day's events. The quail continued to watch the interior of the forest, where unseen dangers with slits for eyes and large black tongues awaited. Long, thin, and prickly legs were set to spring and grab the prey from the darkness, warm saliva ready to burn the flesh away from bones, thin needle-like teeth ready to tear and rip limbs and appendages apart. Apparently, these beings had been chasing an unusual prey, which was foreign to the ways of the intelligent and swift-footed deer. The fleeing two-footed creature was caught by its long garment, which had been torn in several places. Falling to its face, the new creature cried out loud in the language that the female deity from the woods spoke. The quail rested her head and remembered how the poor thing sank to its knees as the fatal blow was dealt; the head was cleaning taken from the body and rolled a few feet away. She nestled in deeper, letting the clean, green grass provide a soft cushion; the unusual creature belonged to a group of villagers from the next town, something called a girl. Normally, when a "girl" or "boy" passed into the forest, they worked as slave to the female deity that enchanted the forest with her wistful ways. Her every whim had to be obeyed by these souls, who eventually never saw the light of day again. A few deer had seen some of these children being fed to the Silksters, the name given to the fearful creatures that hid well in the dark tree tops; the only explanation was that the "girl" escaped and therefore had to be eliminated immediately. Since the quail could feel sorrow, she let the sun warm her body and take away those feelings. No creature could shed tears for the killed yet no creature could stand watching the blood flow so numerously within the forest. Quickly, she saw the fawn dropped to its knees as the white silk bound up its feet. His mother could do nothing but run, as the fawn was dragged along the ground, its body being torn by the twigs, rocks, and thorny ground bushes. The quail sat up and ran, watching as the other deer left her behind; the sounds of delicate bones breaking echoed throughout the lands. Yet, it was not the neck of the poor fawn for he screamed loudly, allowing his mother to turn around once more before leaping away. However, the ominous hissing sounds held a higher volume. The fawn continued to scream and its blood ran into the clearing, making the last piece of paradise a sinful place.
Admatha watched, pleased with the hunting skills her pets demonstrated. The deer squirmed still, though its jugular vein was open wide; her pets hissed and snapped at each other, trying to defend its spot at the kill. Their long, hairy legs worked around the carcass attempting to get out the best meat available. Saliva splattered against the flesh dissolving it immediately, the burning sensation no longer a concern to the dead fawn. The web was easily pulled away, gathered and rolled into a large ball, used to build a new nest for their children. The alpha male snapped at his subordinate, making him move away from the stomach area, the meatiest portion of the body. His teeth ripped at the flesh as he devoured the tastiest morsel all for himself. His female partner looked on, already showing the signs of pregnancy. She held back and snapped at those who came near her, biting the soft underbellies of her pack mates. She growled and hissed at Admatha and at the alpha male when he made room for her to go and eat. The other Silksters waited patiently, the younger ones unaware of the hazard of angering the female. She spit and slowly crawled over to the kill and ate, hissing out loud, cautioning every being around her that she would strike whether or not provoked. She bit and chewed tentatively on the open wound, her saliva coursing down to the dirt floor. With the newborn generation inside her, she needed all the food she could get, before they decided to turn on her. There were no guarantees that her children would even need a mother or that the mother would even want the children. Life was nothing more than survival of the fittest. She watched Admatha, who had moved over towards the alpha male, petting one of his legs making him somehow produce a cat-like purr. "Good pet," she cooed. "Good, good pet." She pushed back her white/blonde hair and smirked as the alpha female finished her course quickly, still watching her with intent to either strike or step back and give her a warning snarl. However, Admatha continued to pet the large arachnid grinning confidently that the female would not dare strike her where she stood, for fear that she might retaliate with more fury than anything living could handle. That had more truth than not. So she move away, still hissing and snarling and snapping, but she remained careful that she did not entice her master. Admatha smiled showing off her white teeth and white jagged teeth, "Good, girl; very good, girl."
A moan in the background told Admatha that the hunt of her enemy had gone well, apparently her pets took it upon themselves to leave her dying slowly, where everyone and everything could hear and offer no help at all. She turned and walked over to her latest dying revolutionary and smiled coldly. "Zoë, how pleasant it is to see again. Especially, during your hour need. I see that my pets played a little to roughly with you, but then again pets will be pets. So sorry dear." Zoë smiled and coughed up some blood, which spilled onto the ground. "Don't worry. I'll be back to finish you off. Life always triumphs over death." Zoë smirked and continued to cough up some more blood, wishing that somehow she could wipe it off but apparently one needs an arm to accomplish that. Her other lay limply at her side, the tendons torn and ripped into many places. She smirked at Admatha and slowly attempted to rise from the ground, her legs trying to swing into proper position underneath her body. Admatha chuckled as Zoë failed and lay on the ground out of breath and running out of time; moving in closely, she watched the dark haired girl subside in her breathing, her deep eyes closing. "Well, this has certainly pleased me. You have caused so much disruption and chaos, now it is my turn to repay you with that same courtesy." An arachnid subordinate moved in behind Admatha watching the exchange between his master and the nearly defeated enemy, watching to see if her death would be as fascinating as the last one. Admatha circled the dying the girl and chuckled once more, rubbing her hands together in order to create and build up her powers. Sparks flew from her hands, heat surrounding her body, and intensifying with each second. Zoë glanced up and grinned. "The next one will be won by me," she whispered, as she lost consciousness. "When an immortal dies," Admatha retorted. Fire burst from her hands engulfing each finger. "From ashes to ashes, dust to dust." The fire sprang from her hands and onto the body, encompassing it and hiding it from view. At first, it seemed unlikely that anything mortal or immortal could honestly survive. The flames grew higher and higher, smoke pouring from all over, and the faint smell of burning flesh was beginning to be emitted into the air. However, an immortal could not die by her hands alone; that was why she had enlisted the help of He Who Walks Behind the Rows and formed a strong alliance with Him and His followers. Apparently, through the years, He had acquired a technique that could end the life of almost any immortal; however, through His punishment requirements, he had no way of using the technique to get rid of those whom He hated. But Admatha could. And she took full advantage of His solitary state.
Zoë's ashes lay on the ground and were being dispersed by the gentle wind, traveling past the Silksters that had finished devouring the little fawn. There was nothing left of that creature, even the bones were gone. She pulled back her white/blonde hair and laughed, knowing that it would be a while until Zoë returned again at another time, appropriately the more modern one. The alpha female Silkster moved in closely, somewhat touching Admatha with one of her legs. Her low hissing and growling frightened the younger ones; she moved towards the ashes, pushing Admatha roughly away. The alpha male moved closer too, saliva dripping down his fangs. "She'll be back…only to return to the next life and search me out. It is in her blood. She'll be back," she said reassuringly. In fact, she said that more to herself than to her pets and strained to continue the one way conversation. "The next time we meet will be the last one.
Jael sat on in the old office type chair and sighed heavily; the waiting was getting to her and the need for some food was causing a greater desire than what was on her priority list. The candles sat on the mantle, looking rather ridiculous next to some child's artwork of what He Who Walks Behind the Rows looked liked. She sighed again and waited for some movement; a few of the old followers of Ezekiel Enright had been tracked down and she thought about taking one of them out of the picture. They were young enough to not make a fuss if she attacked and their blood would be sweet because no of them were exposed to alcohol or drugs. It would be satisfying to her delicate pallet just to pick one of them off. She ran her tongue over her pointed fangs and yawned. It was getting late and the moon was hidden behind some fog that rolled in unexpectedly. She would most likely not be seen if she decided to venture forth and hunt, but her master's warnings stayed with her. But her need was becoming to overwhelming; she wanted to defy her orders and at least kill off one of them. It was not like none of them had ever seen death before, but a death so soon might cause an unwanted reaction. So, she stayed deciding that the cons outweighed the pros. Normally, she would be in her world, taking the basic shape of an ordinary red fox or, if it was a special occasion, a white arctic fox. She liked the Japanese word for fox, being kitsune. It suited her well, being that she was a demon and liked taking her form as a fox; it reminded her of a character that a manga had pointed out; Kurama, the boy who was both a demon fox and human. However, tonight she wished to prowl around as a pure black panther, hunting on all fours, body close to the earth, and the sense of sight heightening as her prey came into view. She glanced out of the small window and watched a small girl walk by, immediately thinking that she could make a good late night snack, but she had to push those instincts away. Jael was not used to being bossed around, nor was she used to being a slave to an immortal being. She heard few nice things about Admatha, including the fact that she rewarded her servants royally. However, her reputation for killing those who were disobedient was right on the money. She was not the only girl that worked for her; her cousin, a demon reader, was killed because she spoke harshly against the idea of any alliance with He Who Walks Behind the Rows. Her head was cleanly taken from her body. No ifs, ands or buts about it. "I do not tolerate suggestions of any kind. Is that clear?" Admatha had asked the dead body. Jael remembered to keep her mouth shut and her claws in check. She never really liked her cousin, but was shocked to see her murdered in front of her eyes. She was family, good family too. At least now she knew who and what she was dealing with. Admatha simply walked away, leaving her to clean up the mess and get a burial going. A quick one at that; after she buried the girl, she knew that she had to become a subservient to Admatha's every single whim and wish. She pulled a stray strain of dark hair back and tucked it behind her ear, watching the candles standing in the shadows, waiting patiently to be lit. A large boy walked on by and the desire to feed was once again upon her, but she continued to stay put and see this through. I too damn hungry, she thought to herself. I just have to drink. A little sip of fresh, untainted blood would be great, but no. I'm stuck listening to a semi-deity like being like a slave. No drink until everything has been finished. She stood up and wandered around the small room, looking at some of the old books that were left behind when Isaac Chroner died. A few gave instructions to the children, what was allowed and what was disapproved of. Go ahead and take what you. She spun around quickly and searched for an origin to the voice that spoke out of the darkness. Take what you need, child. After all, I understand perfectly well that blood is vital to your existence, as it is to mine. Go and gather what you need and share with Me the spills and spoils of the hunt. I give you a sacrifice, a lamb leading himself to the slaughter. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and a rather chubby kid walk in, announcing that he wanted no part in this, scared of dealing with a deity, an immortal being, and a demon. This is all too easy, she thought. I know, responded the voice. GO and kill him. His blood will taste ever so sweet to you. And his screams will be even better. And so she lunged at him, ripping through his delicate flesh, and drinking the sweet blood that flowed so readily. Remember, save some for Me.