These short stories are based off a website called Edocsil. It is an Eragon based Live RPG, but everyone brings a new story and shapes the site. These are the stories of my character, Katara. The first chapter is also based off another site, , in which I RPed. As explained in the Chapter 1 notes, I'm not the only one to have written that story, though I'm the one to originally start the chain of RPs the first chapter is based off of. I just shorted it, summerized it, and shaped it to work my needs. Hope you enjoy!
Search on Google or MSN for Edocsil RPG and you should find the site. If you join and find the Library, these stories are also posted there.
Search in the same manner for Avatarfans. You can also find these stories here under the same name in the Fan Fiction section. I recommend reading the Shadow of the Fire Nation story as well, as it goes more in detail about what I have written in the first chapter. The author is the one who played Maila.
Edocsil Tales
Chapter 1; Part 1: The Beginning and the War
You trek along a forgotten path, long since covered in weeds and fallen trees. All the signs worn with age warn you to Turn Back if I Were YOU! The trees seem to grow sparse and you can see light ahead. You push back the last limb, almost blinded by the sudden light. When your eyes adjust, you see a beautiful city where homes are built into ancient, living trees. In the distance is a sparkling lake with crystal blue water.
But what really draws your attention are the people conversing below. Some have pointed ears, while others have sharp, pointed eye teeth. A few have wings or strange winged creatures standing by them. Their activities range. Many of them are fighting amongst themselves with any weapon you can think of. Most use swords or daggers, but some can conjure fire or other elements, other magicks. A few couples are holding hands, occasionally kissing. Some of the strangest people you see are exploding without dying, eating each other without apparent harm,or transforming and changing shape to anything imaginable.
The is my home, the elven city of Ellesmera. I am the one there, holding the hand of that rugged man. On another day you might see me holding a dagger to his throat, or him holding me up by mine. I am the one made of chocolate, being eaten by the one that blinks too much. I am the one with pure white wings, made of the softest feathers. I wear that dress often, the blue one trimmed in white. You can see how it brings out the color of my eyes. You remind yourself not to make my eyes turn purple by making me angry, especially after what I did to the last person…
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I begin my tales with my beginning, before I settled in the elven city…..
I was born in a far away city, the name and location long since forgotten by time. My father left when my mother got pregnant, for reasons I was to learn later. I was not alone when I came into this world; my twin Charmah followed right behind. Unfortunately, our mother died soon after our birth. Our lovely older brother Kazuki was the only one to protect us when we were young. But we grew fast, and soon went our separate ways for awhile. I ended up in another world, one plagued with never-ending war. The battles are still fresh in my mind…
"Suki, Katara and I will go after the supply lines by the river," Okaeshi said, pointing to the map, his finger tracing along the tree line. "Athena, Maila, you guys take out the tanks at the eastern wall."
It had been a long day. The Earthen City had been overrun with our greatest foes, the Flameralds, people who controlled the element of fire to destroy and conquer. We were the only ones outside the Great Wall, the only hope for our friends on the inside.
We split up. Oh, how we fought! It was like we could read each other's minds, we were so in sync. I used my waterbending to take out the soldiers. Suki, who didn't use anything but her fans and daggers, fought with me, allowing Okaeshi to burn the supplies. Aye, my good friend Oak was of the Nation of the Flame, but I would have trusted him with my life. He was a good fighter, a great warrior, and an unbelievably loyal friend. He belonged to Suki, and her to him. They were such a good match for each other, but fate would be against them…
We succeeded in taking out the supply lines, and went back to re-group at the cave hidden among the rocks. But we were found. I turned to strike a soldier down, but I was out of water. "You guys get to Maila and Athena, I'll catch up!"
"No, Katara-" Suki began, but I was already heading for the river I knew was to the west. I could hear the pounding of footsteps behind me, coming closer and closer. Ah! There was the water! Just beyond those trees…
Too late. I was tackled into the sand. "Be still!" hissed a male voice. He jerked my head up by my hair, placing a hand on my exposed neck. "If you want to keep that pretty little neck unharmed, be still," he whispered in my ear.
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Chapter 1; Part 2: The Earth City Falls
Looking back it's hard to imagine that that Flamerald would save my life. Always by me, always threatening me with a single glance, he convinced my friends that he was my friend, Saki. I was a hostage, even when my hands were untied! He was truly clever, but I was cleverer, scheming up ways to take him out once he wasn't looking. What bothered me the most, was the way he spoke to me.
"Hurry up, cutie," he smirked as we snuck into the city. My face went red from more than just anger.
My friends began to rush ahead, so I spun around and hissed at him. "Shut up! Play your charade all you want, but sweet-talking me is against the rules in my book."
He smiled. "Okay, cutie."
It was finally time to prove Saki against us. We encountered the Flamerald soldiers right before we made it to the palace. Okaeshi and Suki were already attacking, their movements in complete balance. I moved foreword to join them, even without my water, but the man of fire held me back. "Waterbenders are healers, not fighters,' he said, then he rushed into the fight. I couldn't believe my eyes. He was fighting his own brothers. I could see it in the expression on his face that it was hard, but he was a high ranking officer and wouldn't let his cover slip.
We made it into the palace with no further trouble. Okaeshi was targeting the General with Suki, while I was going to take down the Fire Lady with my "friend" and Athena and Maila.
"You can't fight the Fire Lady," Saki told me.
"I've fought her before." It was true. I had fought the crazy woman many times. I was one of her top enemies. She would give anything to have me prisoner.
"But-" he began.
"No," I said, turning to face him. "I have a job to do. I know you aren't going to help me, so go off to some other end of the palace and warn someone we're here, I don't give a damn." My voice rose to a near shout in the end.
"Wait." Saki grabbed my hand. It was very warm, like all Flameralds, contrasting with my own cool skin. The next moment was a blur. I felt his lips on mine, and found myself kissing him back. We were both confused with our actions, but we didn't have much time to discuss it.
My voice had signaled to the General that we were there. Maila and Okaeshi began to fight the General, while Suki and Athena took out his guards. Before I knew it, soldiers were dragging me away toward the throne room, where the Fire Lady was waiting. "No, Katara!" Saki yelled, slamming flaming fists into the face-less helmets of the Flameralds. He didn't reach me in time.
"Ah," the Fire Lady said as I was forced to my knees. "Welcome to my new kingdom."
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Chapter 1; Part 3: One Escape
My friends came just in time. The General was dead, and all of them – even Saki – came to my rescue. The battle began. Saki was greatly confused, blocking the Fire Lady's attacks and the attacks we threw at her. "Chose a side!" I shouted above the roar of the fire the Lady was conjuring around her, like a wall of solid reds and yellows of excruciating heat. None of us could get past it. None but Saki.
I don't know what happened behind the wall of fire, but I heard Saki scream, then the fire disappeared, leaving him there with a large burn upon his forehead. The Fire Lady was no where to be seen.
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Once he was healed, Saki refused to show me his scar, always covering it in a bandanna that he never took off.
After the defeat of the Great Earthen City, we had only one more defense left in the North, the City of Ice. The Flameralds ruled everywhere but there.
Saki and I grew closer as we neared the Pole. We even fell in love. But not everything was grand. Athena turned traitor and killed one of our group, a man named Agathore that joined us after the Earthen Fall, one of the few nomads of air that remained. It was a great loss.
We made it to the Northern Pole in time to warn the City of Ice about the oncoming attack, of a corrupt man that married the Fire Lady named Gana. The Pole was to an advantage, the
benders controlling water and the Flameralds away from their warm climate. But they had a plan that would destroy us…
"They're flooding the city!" I gasped. Everything was thrown into panic. Our warriors tried to keep the ocean at bay, but they were swept away like leaves down a swift stream. We had no choice; we had to run like cowards or be killed. Better to fight another day.
We lost more than our city that day. Many had died, many more were dead inside. Like me. I lost my first love to that nation that now ruled every piece of dirt their burning fingers could find. There was no hope for rebellion, no hope for safety, and no hope to go on. The friends I had gained through the years of useless fighting began fading from my life, some killed or some joining the enemy I hated most. Athena now works as a servant for the Fire Lady; Okaeshi runs a fire-teaching school; Suki, oh my best friend Suki, reduced to killing strangers in the night to put bread in her stomach. I could never join them. It would be giving up. So, I went home, far away from the pain that that world had brought me…
To be continued…
Chapter 1 Notes
You might notice a relationship between my story and Avatar the Last Airbender, and yes, there is a connection. On another site, I RP with a bunch of people, and this is somewhat of a summary of what we've RPed over the years. I've changed some names, some plot, deleted and added, etc. The story remains somewhat the same in general, and I figured it applied well with my character here.
These 3 parts are the unfinished story of 6 parts, as of now, of 70-ish pages each. The first part was a simple Slumberparty that went awry. The next was Shadow of the Fire Nation, in which most of this story takes place, to the point where "The Fire Lady was nowhere to be seen". Then was the Winds of Revenge, where we introduced Gana the evil airbender, and journeyed to the North Pole to find the next Avatar (Aang was killed by a group of shadowbenders called the Ying Liang). Elements of Change was where the fighting took place, and a big battle between Agni the Fire Spirit and Lao the Shadow Spirit that I left out here. Wildfire took place 10 years later, and now Chiaroscuro is where we are now.
Saki was originally named Katashi, Flameralds Fire Nation, of course. I don't claim to own any of these characters, except Katara, even then the makers of Avatar lay claim to her, but I made her my own. These events are not my own either, for they belong to all of us of the Epic RP.
Hope you enjoyed my little commentary, and keep looking for more updates! Please, comment, comment, comment!
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Chapter 2; Part 1: Nephilim
Charm had a hard time in our time apart. A man who's name sends shivers down strong man's spines, Zixaru, found my twin, and convinced her to follow him. They traveled together, and he taught her unspeakable things, of dark magicks and evils that haunted the land like a terrifying plague. More than that I have yet to uncover. There are some secrets, you don't even share with your most trusted family.
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Time eventually healed the wounds of my violent past, though the scars never faded. I was glad to be with family again. I wasn't home long before things started changing. Charm and I finally grew old enough to realize what we were.
The wings came, but not with self-control. Mine were white, my twin's black flecked with gold, one of our few physical differences. We had no one to teach us, except the legends and stories we heard….
We came across a book, found in a forgotten land and written in a language only we could seem to read, given to us by a man known as Grenthelad, telling the secrets and history of our kind…
We were Nephilim. When a group of angels were banished from Heaven after the great battle between Good and Evil, they had to live amongst the humans. Of course, this would cause problems – I am one of them.
Nephilim are the children of a human mother and a fallen father. They aren't suppose to exist. Father wanted nothing to do with us, as it was a crime for an angel to conceive with a human and he would surely be punished.
The half-human, half-angels have the wings and powers of angels – when they come of age. They also have human souls, their greatest gift. When an angel dies, they have no Heaven because they have no souls. It is quite dangerous to lose control, to let the angel take over the human half. You would be at your most vulnerable.
Despite our appearance, the Nephilim Twins are quite different. I embrace my angel, but Charm has become it, turning into something that more resembles a demon, with sharp teeth, steel nails, and no pity. Her wings no longer retract, and she has lost her human soul.
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Chapter 2; Part 2: My Other Half
I had many problems, in the beginning, being a Nephilim. My wings refused to obey me; they would disappear in mid-flight. My purple fire would burn out of my control, my angel ran wild. I hurt the people I loved. I didn't want to be the abomination I was. So, I searched for a way to banish the angel….
CrazyEye was able to trap it inside me, to stop the wings that had forced their way from the scar-like slits in my back from appearing when I didn't want them to. His spell also stopped the fire, the raging fire, that even the smallest burn would be deadly unless properly treated. I had always been afraid of fire, and had a right to, considering my past. To be in and out of control of such a dangerous thing terrified me – it still does.
Once in awhile, I would break the spell binding me, uncontrollably in my fury that shattered it. Each time the spell would need to be stronger that the last to control me once more. At one point it completely destroyed my angelic half. What I always wanted, right? Wrong. It felt wrong. Like a piece of me was missing.
It was very hard to restore my wings, having my sister Nyna whisper the words in the forgotten language and using my runes and CrazyEye's brand of magic to make me whole again. I refused to be bound again, after that. From then on, I took on a more dangerous personality, turning into my evil twin, Charmah….
My peaceful nature turned more violent. I wanted to fight. It was so…addictive, hearing other's scream in agony, watch them bleed, and smile as I listen to the final beat of their heart.
And that's when I fell in love…again.
Chapter 2; Part 3-1: CrazyEye
The battle was getting intense. I was tired, so was he. We were both looking for some way to end the fight quickly. His green eyes were so dark, cold, his scarred face emotionless. His very presence told me he wasn't going to be easy on me.
My pure white wings twitched uneasily in anticipation. Violet fire danced nervously around my fingers, the flaming blade in my right hand throwing a purple glow into my pale face. His own blazing black blade reflected his fighting style – hard, ruthless, and dangerous, often without mercy.
We circled slowly, trying to find a breach in the other's concentration. My eyes burned into his, while his own eyes merely looked like two frozen orbs. I lunged at him, slicing down at his shoulder. He ducked to the side, letting me gain my bearing again. Sometimes he made me feel just like a mouse being toyed with by a cat. I struck again at his ribs, but he batted my sword away easily. This time he didn't show mercy. He thrust his weapon at my chest, but I was quick and it didn't strike – my chest.
I wasn't quick enough. My nearly weightless wings forgotten in the fight, now exploded with a pain I never felt before. It burned like an inferno, tearing me apart from the inside. I smelled the feathers before I saw them flutter to the ground, spattered with violet blood. I barely took notice. I was blinded by my own hot tears, a wailing scream ripped from my lips. All there was was the pain, the immeasurable pain.
He could have killed me. I couldn't have fought back. I was less than helpless, a pitiful creature practically begging to be put out of her torment and misery.
Could you believe it was this man I was in love with?
CrazyEye's face remained cold, though inside his emotions whirled, chaos bred. He picked me up by my neck and tossed me to the side like a rag doll. I landed on my side, lying still and whimpering quietly. I was barely aware of this. He walked over to me and kneeled beside me, saying in his soft and cold voice, "Do you yield?"
I didn't answer. I doubt I could have even began without a painful moan escaping my lips. Though I didn't see for my eyes were welded shut, his face slowly changed, if only minutely. The remorse for his callous deed hit him hard, almost causing him to collapse. He gritted his teeth as the silence between us grew.
"Low...blow…." I managed to say hoarsely.
CrazyEye's shoulder's slumped. "I know." He sighed, placing a knife in my weak hand and unbuttoned his coat, displaying his chest for a clear shot at his heart.
My hand tightened on the weapon….
To be continued…
Chapter 2; Part 3-2: CrazyEye
My grip tightened on the weapon…
A weak fire burned within me that didn't have to do with the pain, but my grip slackened and I pushed the knife away. "No. I can't…" I whispered. I felt something wet on my face. Was that tears?
CrazyEye sat down, muttering in a disgusted manner. He glared at the ground, his fists clenched so hard that his short fingernails were close to drawing blood. "I'm sorry."
I felt another tear wash down my face, and I didn't reply. Though my eyes were closed, I knew he was watching me, his face showing conflicted emotions. I didn't want to see his face.
With a silent scream of rage, he turned and slammed his fist into a rock, a loud cracking noise emanating from it. I winced. He looked away, shame faced. "I am a fool. I deserve it. I knew exactly what I was doing but it didn't matter. I seem to lose my humanity in a fight."
Inside I was smiling with black humor. I knew that more than anybody. No matter how much pain he caused me in a fight – and it was quite a lot as I could never seem to beat him – he was as cold as if he was just squishing a bug beneath his steel-toed boots.
I tried to get up, but the pain from the stab wound in my wing was so intense it brought me back to the ground, new tears staining my face. I was dully surprised at how much energy my wings were consuming; I could feel my strength flow into them like a whirlpool. An injury to a Nephilim's wing is the worse act you could do upon them. Something as small as a paper cut could leave them howling in agony.
CrazyEye just seemed frozen in place, staring at the ground with such a look on his face it just pained me more. I whispered his name and he unfroze in a second, leaning over me and whispering back, "Yes, love?"
I reached out to his face, placing my hand on his cheek. It was his right cheek, the one I had scarred with my very hands, scratching into his skin making it look as if a tiger had stuck him. He placed his hand on top of mine, and I smiled weakly. He smiled back, his eyes still showing his anguish. And for a moment, my pain was forgotten.
One might wonder how I could love such a brutal man. Behind his mask of aloofness, I find him truly gentlemanly and charming. But perhaps it's just the challenge, the thrill he presents. The only one to ever beat me, and able to do it many times. Maybe I just want to keep him close, get to know his weakness…
But he's become my weakness.
Chapter 2; Part 3-3: Healing
It took about a week for my wing to heal. It wouldn't let me heal it by any other means other than nature…
I reached for my canteen, but there was no water. CrazyEye set his water skin next to me. He had been most helpful in my recovery. It was almost worth it to have him wait on me hand and foot. Almost.
My Nephilim powers having been temporarily blocked because of my injury, I had to resort back to my waterbending. I poured the water onto my hand, it forming around my pale skin to my wrist, seeming to fit like a slightly luminescent glove. The glow from the water brightened as I brought it to my injury, it seeming eager to work it's magic on the wound. Gently I placed it on the burned puncture, feeling a sort of coolness slip into my wing. A light suddenly burst forth in white, blinding my eyes. An electric current zapped up my arm, burning like Nephilim fire and caused me to jerk away. The water was instantly evaporated, steam rising into the air, making the burn seem freshly blazing.
I knew that would happen, but I couldn't help but try.
CrazyEye's voice was suddenly in my ear. "Can I help?"
I sighed. "I'm afraid you'd come to the same result."
He nodded.
I reached back, waving my hand a hair's breadth away from my wing. My hand encountered many feather's turned upward at odd angels. It killed my pride to do it, but I asked anyway. "Could you…possibly preen me up a bit?" My wings still stunk of burnt feathers, and it wasn't very attractive to have blood stained feathers either – especially when said feathers were white.
He seemed a bit confused, even embarrassed at my request, but he nodded once more and scooted up behind me. I bit my lip to quit from yelping each time a feather was yanked from place. I closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to see them float pitifully to the ground like fallen leaves.
I opened my eyes as I felt something coming. Oh no… A heard her enraged growl before I saw her. "What is he DOING?!" my Twin demanded, appearing from the shadows. The face that was similar to mine was set with angry creases on her forehead, her eyes nearly black to match her black gold flecked wings. It's a fearful sight to see an angel so furious.
CrazyEye stood up, his face taking on a blankness set in stone.
"Charmah," I said, "don't-"
She stormed over, my love stepping respectively out of the way as she took his place behind me. Charm was frozen for what seemed the longest time, though it could only be a second. If she was terrifying before, it was nothing to what came next. "How did this happen?" she said quietly, obviously on the brink of going over the edge.
I ducked my head down in shame. "We were just-"
"I did it," CrazyEye spoke up.
I glanced at him fearful as Charmah slowly turned to face him. Her eyes narrowed. "Charm, no!" I screamed, but she had already moved. She ducked down, shoving her hand upward toward CrazyEye's nose to shove the cartilage up into his brain….
Chapter 2; Part 3-4: Healed
Despite Charmah's speed, CrazyEye managed to lean back out of the way. I was quite shocked by her behavior, and was unable to say anything for some time. Once Charmah calmed down a bit, having not being able to place a lasting punch on him, she turned on me.
"How could you let him do that?" she screamed at me. "That is unforgivable! He should know never to injure a Nephilim's wings."
I could only take it, word for word hitting harder than a physical blow, causing me to wince.
She confronted CrazyEye next. "You!" she roared. She went on to call him most unspeakable names, many things I never want to be heard again. Where she picked up such language I'll never know. He gazed at her evenly. "Stay away from her wings," she concluded. "If you ever hurt them again…"
He said solemnly, some of his previous anguish showing in his eyes, "I would sooner die than put her through that much pain again."
I knew why my twin was so upset. She had lost her wings once too, only instead of blocked by magic, cut off brutally like a kid breaking a bird's wings just for the fun of it. If a small puncture wound was so terrible, I couldn't ever imagine the consuming pain she must have suffered….and the dark things she had to do to get them back again.
Though I knew Charmah wouldn't be happy with his answer, CrazyEye kept to his word, binding himself with an unbreakable oath to never intentionally hurt my wings again. It came in handy in a couple duels after.
Healing was slow and my pure white wings refused to be retracted in my back again while wounded, making some things quite difficult. While in perfect condition they were weightless, but now they were as heavy as lead, bulky and awkward. It was impossible to rest my back against a tree or even walk without being unbalanced.
But eventually, time healed my wound, leaving me good as new. The memory is still there, always is, in the back of my mind. A terrifying thing I'd do anything to avoid should it come close to happening once more.
Edocsil Tales – Pop
Tada! My first off-topic short story. Enjoy. This happened sometime last week, of a Tuesday, I believe. 02/19/09
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It began as a normal duel.
Neither of us had been able to make a blow connect. She unsheathed her sword and awaited my attack. I drew a simple dagger, my favorite weapon. She was wary of how I would use it.
Darting quickly foreword and to the side, I threw the dagger at Nyna's chest. She skillfully knocked it off course with her blade. No matter. I had another weapon.
Unscrewing my canteen, I let the water spill out. It flowed over the palm of my hand without touching it, solidifying into callous ice. It expanded, longer and longer, tapering off to a sharp point on both ends. It had been awhile since I'd used such a spear, but I wasn't concerned.
I stabbed at Ny's shoulder with it. Her blade connected with the ice. The glass-like clear, frozen water looked so frail, but the sword didn't even chip it.
We exchanged blows, even punched and kicks, but we seemed evenly matched.
Then we found the bubble wrap.
Nyna's bubble sword was a formidable weapon. It had me retreating back into my Bubble Fortress. There, I found the bubble-popper sword. "Haha!" I bragged. "You are dooomed!"
But my sister had found reinforcements in SerenaMoon. "Take down the Bubble Queen!" they chanted.
"Neverrr!" Dawning my bubble wrap armor, I thrust my bubble-popper sword upward in defiance. Bad idea. The action accidentally popped my Bubble Fortress. "Dammit," I muttered as my protection collapsed pathetically around me.
Summoning my awesome Bubble Queen powers, I called forth bubbling minions to attack the charging peasants. They fought bravely, but my minions of gas were no match for flesh and steel.
I was forced back to the tree line. "I will returnnn!" I vowed before I popped out of existence.
Thus the Bubble Queen's Empire fell…
Bet ya didn't see that one coming! It's not everyday you figure out you're royalty in a bubble, is it? Oh well, I'm still the Queen of Randomness. Beware my powers!!!
Edocsil Tales – Chapter 3; Part 1
The Day Love Died
Edocsil Tales – Chapter 3; Part 1: Instincts
I've been noticing strange feelings as of late. Perhaps it is the return of my beloved Twin or the natural instincts I have acquired the longer I've embraced my angelic nature, but whatever it is, it's becoming dangerous.
Reading more ancient texts, I am ashamed of what others of my kind have done. The Nephilim were described as monsters, demonic in nature and the embodiment of sin. They preyed on the human population, causing devastation wherever they roamed. The threat was so immense the Creator sent the Great Flood to cleanse the Earth of the unholy blood. Even in a new world, you couldn't purge human's tendency to sin, and for the Fallen to forget the pleasures of a human companion.
I see the legacy of the Nephilim in my Twin's eyes. Charmah is a living example of the kinds of monsters the hybrids were. I may be joining them someday.
I'm not sure what went wrong – or right, as the case may be – with me. I have always fought my other half, and most of the time succeeded. I refused to be what I was. First I used spells to try and stop the wings from sprouting and the anger to subside. And when I lost it all together I wanted it back. Being thus reunited with myself, I didn't want to lose it again.
Sin is clever. I thought I was in control, but that may not be completely true. I am not even sure if there is anything to control anymore. Maybe the monster is me, that the two halves I image could be one whole.
I've always had a vengeful disposition. A grudge has never easily been forgotten, and what's even harder to forget is your weaknesses, and those who know them. Never let someone beat you more than once. Knowledge such as that is worth killing over. There's exceptions to every rule, even if there shouldn't be. Getting around the rules deserves the same punishment as if you deliberately broken them, as I found out one day…
To be continued….
[[Little side note – as I remember or come up with new ideas, the order of there tales many vary. Some thing that happens near the present may be told before a story in the past. Sorry if there is any confuzzlement in the matter. Comment, comment!]]
Edocsil Tales - Chapter 3; Part 2: Torture
CrazyEye had learned a new trick he seemed to like to use on me.
As usual, our duel dragged on. While I had barely put a cut on him, I had plenty of bruises. In a few minutes more I was bleeding from the shoulder and him from his arm. And as always, I usually slipped up somehow.
Using an ordinary sword, I slashed at his torso. He blocked the blow with ease and kicked at my stomach. I dropped my weapon and grabbed his ankle. He wrenched it out of my grip, but not before I'd dug my nails through his pants and into his skin. Thus unarmed, he tackled me to the ground.
This scene seems to be repeated every time, and I never seem to learn anything from it. Pinning me down, CrazyEye grabbed my throat and asked if I surrendered. And like a stubborn kid refusing her vegetables, I said no.
He called his spell a weave. Any trick he did he used this sort of magic. Since he couldn't damage my wings anymore, he had to find a new way to torture me, and that's what the weave did.
The torturing spell was bested only by a broken wing and Nephilim fire. Tearing my throat apart wouldn't have hurt so badly. And the pain wasn't centered around my neck, but spread throughout my body and into my mind. I tried screaming but his grip was too tight. If the sound had ripped from my lips I could have been mistaken for a banshee.
And as soon as it came it was gone, though it felt like many years. When he asked me again if I gave up, I whimpered and mouthed, "Yes."
I remember telling him once, "Someday I'm going to beat you, and you'll have to beg me not to kill you."
He only chuckled and said, "I don't beg."
We'll see, I thought.
Fate has a cruel way of twisting one's words. As it turned out, I was the one begging for him not to die…
To be continued…
Edocsil Tales – Chapter 3; Part 3: Lady Wolf
It was the day after he had again used the torturing weapon on me. Showing such a weakness as the ability to scream and cry had become repugnant to me. So as a wolf in lady's clothing, I approached him.
CrazyEye smiled as I appeared, unaware of my plans. I smiled back. What can I say, I was indeed happy to see him. It had been an entire day since the last we'd met. But trivial emotions such as love weren't on my mind at the moment. A darker, crawling thing was weaving through my heart: revenge.
He spread his arms invitingly, and I sat in his lap, lightly kissing his cheek. In return he kissed me firmly on my lips. Damn that smile.
I felt the dagger in a fold of my blue dress, the one he had gotten me, like it was branding my skin. I wasn't planning on making him suffer too long. My heart simply wouldn't allow it.
Already striking below the belt with my seductive actions, I covered his eyes with my hand so he wouldn't see me reach for the dagger. I would carefully aim it between his ribs until it pierced the very organ that was similarly beating rapidly in my breast as if counting down the moments until his eyes would close for good, never to open again.
CrazyEye reached up and took my hand, pulling it away from his eyes. He couldn't have suspected what I had been plotting…could he? I couldn't tell.
The suspense was too much. Dark violet clouding over my eyes like a wild fire, I reached quickly for the dagger and thrust it at his chest.
Edocsil Tales - Chapter 3; Part 4: Please
Stupid fool, I thought. Why can't he just take a hit instead of hitting back?
My dagger slid between CrazyEye's ribs, but didn't hit its intended target, though it was not far off. A moment before, he knew what I was doing and he slipped a knife from his sleeve to stab at me. He twisted the blade in my gut and I gasped.
Shoving him away, I reached for my canteen. With bitter irony I realized I didn't have any water.
I glared at him impatiently. Such a simple plan he managed to ruin. Not only was he still breathing – laborly, though he was – but I'd received a life-threatening injury as well. Now he'd have time to heal himself, while I had no healing water.
CrazyEye looked back at me with dull eyes. I sunk to the ground, muttering curses. He reached out toward me and I shied away, but he grabbed me despite my efforts. I felt an energy pass between us, from him into me. The pain in my stomach receded slightly. The next time I opened my eyes, I saw him lying next to me, his eyes closed. "Fool," I swore. I kicked at his still form. "Get up."
He didn't move.
Growing quite impatient, as I tended to do, I kicked him even harder. "I said get up!"
He was as stationary as stone.
I glowered and scowled, crawling up to him and shaking his shoulders, slapping his face. There was no response. I placed a hand on his chest,
his blood staining my fingers. I felt nothing but the sticky red substance flowing with gravity's help from his lifeless body. No heartbeat, no rise and fall of his chest.
I was frozen. A sickly sweet taste like poisoned honey settled on my tongue. Revenge tasted just as luscious, thought it left a bitter aftertaste.
My heart shuddered in my chest and seemed to halt in its rhythm. There was a fleeting thought of perhaps I'd done the wrong thing, that maybe the consequences of my actions might be more than I can bear. Ridiculous.
But even as I came to that conclusion, I was wrapping my arms around his motionless form, sobbing into his chest, smearing his blood on my face. "Please get up," I begged. "Please." I pressed my lips to his cool mouth. "Please…"
I can understand why Charm refused to love; it was far too painful to endure.
Thinking about Charm, I began to think of someone else…Yes, it might just work. If a miracle could do the impossible.
I picked up CrazyEye, my love, cradling him against my chest. I whispered into his deaf ear, "Everything's going to be fine…Wait for me."
And with that I ran from the blood-stained ground, the weight in my arms infinitely lighter than the weight in my stilled heart.
Edocsil Tales - Chapter 3; Part 5: Stone Circle
It's amazing what dangerous bridges you would cross to reach your love on the other side.
I sprinted to a spot that would suit my needs. In a dark, secluded part of the wood, there was a circle of stone where strange things occurred. I had some idea of what it was. From what I could deduce, it was a bridge between worlds. I'd used it before to get to the same place I wanted to go now, though I never willingly wanted to go to such a place again.
I laid CrazyEye's body carefully in the center of the stone circle. I stroked his hair, twirling a piece of it between my fingers. Please get up, I begged him silently. Don't make me go down there… My meager effort were in vain, and with a shuddering sigh I turned away from him to the stone I needed, the boulder that was larger than all the others. On it was an etching of a hallowed out star surrounded in a circle that looked as if it would burn you if you touched its points. Here was where I placed the rune.
Around my neck on a gold chain was a smooth, flat pebble that looked like liquid silver that had been frozen solid. On this precious rock was the same design. Father's insignia.
I hesitated just a moment, dreading what was bound to take place. What would I have to give, what would be stolen from me, and what would I return with?
I pressed the rune on the stone star, flattening it against the cold boulder. In a voice just below a whisper, I chanted. The words sounded like wind whistling through the clouds, the sun's rays bouncing off the water, and the crackle of a flame. Such was the old tongue.
The rune grew hot under my hand, but I did not draw away. Darkness seemed to creep in closer as a light shown from behind my hand to fill the entire side of the stone that was on the inside of the circle. With a trained wrist I caught my rune again before it fell through the hole I had created. It was almost entirely black in the void, though what looked like stars shown in a few places. The only thing visible was an endless stair case going down. Wings would be of no help to me here. I would have to walk. A long journey it would be, indeed…
Edocsil Tales – Chapter 3; Part 6: Damnation
The place was called Hell.
In a sense, I called it Home. That's where Father was, as was Mother. The air was stale, hot and dry. The stone structures around were old and crumbling. There would have been weeds and vines covering them if any living thing had dared to survive here.
There was also a deathly silence. Not a soul made a sound; as was appropriate for this region of Damnation. The souls were kept in another section, next to the fire and torture devices.
Why do I know the layout of such a forbidding place?
Father was the first Fallen angel that was banished from Heaven. Thus, he was given charge of the fires of the Shades. All souls had to pass his way before they could find the gates of Heaven. It took a trial of three days to take such a journey. It took me over a day to walk down the stairs. It would be a close race.
The giant throne made a gold and silver, tarnished with age and set with a haunting aura, sat on the peak of a pyramid of stone steps. It was unoccupied. But that didn't mean its owner wasn't nearby.
My footsteps made a soft echo as I climbed the steps. I was careful to avoid the deep cracks twisting around on some of them. I reached the top and kneeled down on the stone. It killed me to do it, but I let CrazyEye out of my arms, setting him on the rock as cold as artic ice. I leaned down and lightly pressed my lips against his forehead.
"Well, well…what have we here? My lovely daughter, come Home at last…"
To be continued…
Edocsil Tales – Chapter 3; Part 7: The Dark Angel
"Well, well…what have we here? My lovely daughter, come Home at last…" The speaker's voice was low and haunting. It had a seductive tone about it, soft and soothing like a gentle sea that could drown a sailor when the inkling arised.
"Not this time, Father," I said, not looking up. Taking a shallow breath, I continued, "I need your help."
"Come now, child, look at me when you're speaking."
Not daring to disobey, I looked up at the Dark Angel. He had a handsome face, matched only by the Creator himself. He had flawless skin, cold ice eyes, and a perfectly shaped mouth. When he smiled the action made you shiver. His teeth were sharp and snow white, appearing as if he would have no trouble tearing out your throat with those teeth, as I know he'd done before.
"Now, that's better." He motioned for me to stand. "Make yourself at Home." The Dark Angel sat upon his throne. His wings as black as a night with no stars nor moon stretched lazily on both sides of him. "Tell me, why have you come? It has been so long."
"As if you don't know," I said quietly.
Father's eyes fell to glance at the dead man at my feet, then back at me. "What do you expect me to do about it?"
I frowned impatiently. "I expect you to give me his soul."
The Fallen answered, "Oh, do you?" In a moment too fast for me to see, he was behind me, whispering in my ear. "What a naughty girl you have been lately, my dear Katara. I would expect this kind of behavior from your beloved Twin. Not from you." He brushed away my hair from my neck, running his fingers along my exposed skin.
A touch of a smile came to my lips. "I would think you'd want me to be bad."
He chuckled. "True. But that's beside the point." Father was sitting on the back of his throne now, his wings curling around him. "What inspired you to commit such an act?"
I looked, shame-faced, at the stone at my feet. "I don't know."
Laughing, the Dark Angel leaning forward. "Oh, I know. Your heart is as black as mine."
"No," I said, adverting my gaze back to him, my eyes flaring violet.
"Ah, see there," he pointed. "You're a Nephilim. Nephilim destroy." Father seemed to get a gleeful look upon his beautiful face. "Quite an invention I created, don't you agree? The most dangerous weapon: a creature that can destroy anything, even the things they think they love."
"I do love him," I spoke quickly.
Father tut-ed. "Such emotions are a curse of the human half; you'll soon get over them. You're still young, you'll adapt."
I frowned, taking a daring step forward, careful not to trod on the body at my feet. "You are trekking off subject, Father. I want his soul and I want it now so I can go home."
The Dark Angel frowned back at me, seeming annoyed that I would be so bold. For many moments we glared at each other in silence while he deliberated what he would do.
Edocsil Tales – Chapter 3; Part 8: Soul
"Very well," Father finally said. "Though, remember this: I will only help you this once. Should this man die again by your hand, I shall see fit to make sure his Light goes out."
I gasped in horror. Surely he wouldn't be so cruel!
"You know my price," he continued as if he were talking about the weather. "A soul for a soul." He grinned with malice. I knew that was exactly what he wanted, my soul, my one thing keeping me from being a complete monster.
"Sorry, Father. I don't have it."
His eyes narrowed. This seemed to catch him off guard, though he tried to hide it. "Then who does?" he said coolly.
I pointed nonchalantly at CrazyEye. "He does. And you're not stealing it from him, wherever he keeps it."
The Dark Angel seemed on the edge of rage, but then he nodded and smiled. "Very clever, my daughter. Quite too romantic for my taste, but clever none the less.
So if you don't have a soul, what are you to pay me with?"
I smiled hopefully. "I don't suppose you could just give it to me as a gift." I already knew the answer.
"Of course not!" he bellowed. "I'm running a business down here, you can't expect me to give away my wares." Now the rage was coming. The Dark Angel was quick to anger, and even my being in his presence was a reason to be angry. I could just tell he didn't feel a connection between us, to his own flesh and blood. I was just a tool to him, and when my usefulness had reached its end, he would get rid of me.
"Then I'll just take it from you." I turned to head in the direction of the soul ferry that would take me to the place where the warriors fought to find Valhalla. I was quickly thwarted. The Dark Angel flew from his roost, slamming into me like a boulder. We soared through the air until I made contact with one of the crumbling walls. The impact was enough to shatter every bone in my body, but his wings cushioned the impact. Though he saved me from a crushing death, he had me pinned in a steel-like grip I couldn't escape from.
"You will not," he hissed. "And you know it."
I wasn't afraid of many things. Fire was one, but I had been able to overcome that fear. What really frightened me was the man – no, not man, nor angel, but a demon - that was smiling so cold at me as I was helpless. "All right," I whispered. "What do you want?"
Father's laugh appeared to freeze the air, chilling me and sending shivers racking down my spine. "I thought you'd never ask…"