"There ain't no pot of gold,
just copper tokens.
I found the key to life, the lock
Was broken.
All my accomplishments,
are best left unspoken."
Devil on my shoulder – Billy Talent.
As it went dark, Robyn could make out a figure lurching forward- their top hat falling off. Reaver latched onto Robyn, who was beginning to lose her footing in the enveloping cloud of black smoke. She must have lost consciousness as she woke up in a different environment- burned grass, an orange sky being swallowed by black and Reaver a few feet away. Robyn could only remember Reaver holding onto her as a last vision.
"W…w…what…where am I?" she managed to breathe.
"This can't be. Please don't play this torment on me."
"Reaver, is that you? Help me. I can barel…" One move and he was on top of her, hands snaking around her neck beginning to constrict her breathing. All she could do was listen, her 'powers' seemed to be ineffective here; Reaver was as strong as he had ever proved to be.
"YOU BOUGHT ME HERE! YOU BITCH! I know all about evil, black magic and shadows… but this is next level sorcery." A vision of torment was etched into his face, top hat amiss and attire covered in soot. Robyn clawed at his hands to let her gasp some air. She was desperate; she could feel her lips turning a shade of violet. As this numbness began to wash over her body, his grip relinquished… with all she could gather, Robyn dragged herself into a nearby bush- the dirt under her nails feeling unnatural. The following moments made her panic, she had never felt so vulnerable. Powerless, number and frightened Robyn raised her hands to part the thorny bush she was concealed in; where had Reaver gone? Memories of the man in past squanders floated around, exerts out of books, conversations with her mom… nothing added up to the picture she had just seen. The man was a deviant; he put himself above everyone else… In public, he had never shown an emotion other than humour- his own humour at that. Yes, he was violent; he shot anyone who he deemed 'shootable' for goodness sake. Thinking it were safe to now make a move, Robyn crawled back out of the bush. Her gown was not going to help her here. She tore it from the hips down, revealing the corset and leather breeches with overlapping boots. Pushing back onto her knees and palms of her hands, Robyn got up as steady as she could, using the fence beside the bush to elevate her.
Screams in the distance began to penetrate the air. The black smoke was now billowing like an eagle looking for its prey- the mice beneath. This was going to prove challenging beyond belief, but first she needed to locate Reaver; if she were to survive. It was a little paddock she had appeared out of nowhere into. The gate was missing and seeds still hidden in the earth; Robyn doubted they would see the light of day from her gut feeling.
Making a slow step out of her little square patch of safe-ness, Robyn sped up a slow winding slope built on the skirts of a hill. The path proved to be frequently used, with cart marks embedded into the dirt. This led to a wooden bridge, where there was a cart full of abandoned wheat. She reached the cart and could see the devastation that had unfolded in this little hamlet. Fire flooded the surrounding houses and shops, leaving no victim… showing no mercy. A familiar figure was stood below this great oaken tree… his hands raking his hair which reflected the flames around.
"REAVER… REAAAAVER!" It was no use. The air was filled with the music of terror, cries diminuendo. Robyn hopped the cart, trying to short cut her way to Reaver down the side of the steep hill. She never thought about her body not being able to withstand the fall. Her stomach found her mouth, as she continuously collided with the hill and then the earth; darkness along with this liquid warmth resumed its hold.
Fire. Shadows. Noise.
Reaver felt lost in this sea of emotions he thought were locked away. He could still feel his hands around her neck… she bought me here… he thought of the fear in the eyes of Robyn. It was like hers, the one he would rather forget. They never knew what was happening, the whole village didn't know. No words were spoken, just screams as body and souls were dragged away into smoke. Only her body was left for him to see, barely any life contained in it. The brown tunic moulded to her body, her legs tangled unnaturally, and her hair… her blonde hair was covered in black.
He froze. The image he imagined was right there. A man, holding the body buried his face into her neck; weeping uncontrollably. It couldn't be… could it? Reaver watched himself greave into a woman's body. The strength he had couldn't force him to turn; this was insanity. Desperation flooded within all corners of his empty head.
"Oh no, oh god no. PLEASE. Don't make me watch this again. I BEG YOU." The figures were blind to him, he was voiceless here. Something caught his eye behind his younger self; a body falling. Reaver returned to reality, he couldn't regret strangling Robyn, he left her motionless. She couldn't have moved, but he couldn't be sure. This torment was painful. His legs ached as took a step towards the ghosts; the very real ghosts. Reaver couldn't go near them; his body protested it at every instance. With his feet cemented to the ground, Reaver fell to his knees. Tears began to accumulate in his eyes… no no no, I can't, I musn't this isn't real. They aren't here, please just stop… paving its way on his face, the salty tear burned and penetrated the grime and soot. It was too much to bear, trying to avoid looking at these figures and crawl through anger, pain and anguish Reaver was not emotionally equipped to combat this situation. As he gained inches towards the fence, he could make out a foot; a boot that he recognised. Before he realised what his body was doing Reaver was dragging the body toward him. No. It was Robyn. Her matted hair was red. Unbidden streaks had found their way onto her face along with the gashes from the fall. He felt her limp body, almost weightless. Balancing on his knees Reaver mirrored what he had just watched. Robyn had no idea, no one in all of Albion knew of how Reaver became who he was. Regret infiltrated his other emotions. As hard as Reaver fought to keep it at bay, tears and regret were there. The beautiful face beneath him stirred, plump pink lips parted slightly as eye lashes fluttered. The brown orbs resembled a deer caught in headlights.
"I'm sorry. I… I… I didn't know what I was doing. This place. We need to go."
His lean hands scooped her up and cradled her to his chest; heart beating hard. Few villagers remained now, just as he remembered. Just as he made to move, he watched the moment unfurl before him. This he had forgotten; the moment the shadows came to drag her body away… Reaver clung as tight as he could, forbidding them to take her. His cries were painful, it were as if he were being murdered. The shadow snaked its way around young Reaver and tore him away as the girl's body disintegrated "YOU BASTARDS! SHE WAS MINE! YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO TAKE HER!" he sunk to his knees proceeding to weep uncontrollably. There was nothing he could do.
Reaver stared on, tear strained and fixated on the pitiful man ahead. Robyn's body started to convulse, she was going into shock; the limpness gone. He tightened his grip so he wouldn't drop the fragile woman. Where could he go? There was no longer any safe place to hide grass smouldered beneath him, buildings collapsing from the deathly heat. The coast; there was a secret hide-out there, a little cave near the edge of the salty water. As the memory sprung to mind, his strong frame soldiered the short distance where the grass slowly formed to sand. It was near, he felt it. A carving in the Cliffside indicated that he was heading the right way. A few metres ahead Reaver made out an indentation, water carried on here. The strangely familiar sight relieved him. Upon entering the hide-out, Reaver felt the shadows closing in around him.
"NOO! NO! NO!"
Deathly silence engulfed the area.
Uhm, hiya. Sorry for the slightly long absence… but I'm here again! I hope to start writing this again. If it's not up to scratch I sincerely apologise. My skills are a little off beat now; a little rusty haha. As always, the claims of Fable go to Lionhead studios, and the song to Billy Talent. Please review and give your opinions. I really do appreciate them P.s. Do you like the 'spin' on Reaver? The emotional side?