Speech = ``...´´
Thoughts = [... }
ºº
A princess was meant to be strong..
A member of the royal family was meant to be bright and courageous to a fault, for they had to fight for the fates of those who had cast their trust in them.
It was as much of a duty as it was a gift...
Yet right now she didn't feel any ounce of bravery or strengh coursing through her veins as the glimpses of the bandits sword thrusting through the air towards her were deeply burned into her mind. Freezing her body in fright, time slowing to a crawl around her, but never stopping the inexorable advance of the killing edge.
Cold sweat sliding down her forehead and disappearing down her collarbone, cool air barely able to snuff out the metaphorical flames that had lit over her skin while a ball of ice seemed to have been dropped down her gullet without her notice.
Her sensations numbing, blocked, dulled as her brain started to disconnect what she could perceive all around her, yet Rose could still hear the sound of her voice ringing in her ears as she screamed in fright at the incoming promise of pain that would probably be her immediate end.
And if not..., then harmful enough to warrant it in a matter of minutes if she was unlucky.
But that did not happen….
She didn't feel the terrible sting of pain poking at her flesh.
She didn't heard the sound of flesh and bone breaking apart as steel made its way through them like nothing.
She didn't even hear the sound of madden glee or gasp of horror slipping from either of the men that had tried to kill/kidnap her on the spot for their own nefarious ends.
Instead she felt something else.
Something warm and calid splashing over her...
Her voice became silent as horror led way to confusion. Slowly, she opened her eyes which she had kept shut for all this time, having to find the need to raise her hands to brush away whatever had been poured over her.
It was warm, but also sticky and with a peculiar metallic scent that made her nostrils flare…
Once she managed to take a good look her eyes widened, a gasp escaping through her lips as surprise took hold of her as she came to realize what was that peculiar liquid now sliding down her golden mane and skin into her dress. Marring what had been a soft shade of pink with bright arterial red.
She was sure that it wasn't water, nor juice...could it be-?
[Blood…?]
As the word came by she smelled the metallic scent now clinging to her senses. One that though unfamiliar, she had come to get a grasp these last few days..though she did not know why.
Her eyes blinked with clear bafflement shining through them as they stared down at her hands, looking at the way the sticky liquid covered her fingers and slip past them like grime and soil would.
It was...it was a lot of blood.
How?
Why..?
What was going on..?
Those were some of the questions popping left and right inside her as she tried to come to an understanding of why was she covered in such fluid when she was completely unharmed. If one were to ignore the still lingering pang of ache coming from the hand that brute had stomped with such evil intent that is...
When she rose her head she realized why. Her heart skipping a beat once her golden eyes took on the figure standing before her.
Barely a meter away, standing tall and shielding her from the sight of those men was someone that she had not expected, yet she had hoped to see one more time.
With his pitch black hair hovering in the air freely and soothing like, almost as if by an invisible hand. His body standing rigid yet exuding a calmness that was hard to look away from, holding his ground between her and the foul fiends that had tormented her. A knight protecting the weak from harm...
And then there was the sword that had lanced through his body with almost impunity. Tearing flesh and muscle alike before popping out from his back like a scarlet flower in full bloom. The red liquid sliding down the edge of the weapon drenching around the area where the blade had puncture, leaving an ever growing pool of red slowly eat away the natural colour of his vest.
He had stood between them and her..
He had taken the blow meant for her…
He..he had-...
Her lips grew stiff into two thin lines. Eyes started to ache with a warm burning touch before the cool touch of tears sliding down her face started to occur once more.
Why..? Why did he do that..?
Her hands started to shake, her hands clasping tightly.., balling into fists.
Why did he have to be hurt because of her? This wasn't what she wanted..
``I believe I told you to stay indoors...Rose´´
His voice was calm, devoid of any pain or shallow breath to give light to the abject damage he had taken for her. Tender, trying to soothe her worries...and even though she could not see his face, her eyes merely scrapping the sides of his cheeks and ears when they were not shrouded by his dark mane she could still tell that he was not angry at her.
That he did not blame her...
She bit her lip. She wished he had. At least that way she would feel the disappointment that was brewing inside her, directed at herself at least being validated.
Because she had failed..
She had not listened to him..and bad things happened because of her.
``I-I..´´
She tried to speak, but her voice broke down time and time again, what were well done sentences in her mind came like an unintelligible blabbering through her still shaking lips.
He didn't seem to judge her for that. Shaking his head slowly, his lips pursing into a timid, knowing smile.
``It doesn't matter, I will finish this soon..´´
She did not know what he meant by that, neither did the bandits as they stared still baffled at the boy who had just popped out into existence before them. Speaking so calm while he still had a blade stuck between his guts..
Not really noticing the shaky, silver glinting shades of his eyes turned into bright red at times.
``W-what are you talking about brat..? You think you can take us?´´
``Yeah, and where in the seven hells you came from..?´´
Koldarrd did not answer with words as he took a step forward, the dusty ground creaking under the weight of his boots. There were no cries of defiance or righteous challenges born out of fury or honour. .
The only answer they received was the one in the form of steel wrapped in blood as the young boys left hand held onto the blade not stuck inside him and pull it out with a seemingly painless yank. And yet she could not help but grimace and flinch at the sound the blade made once it was pulled out.
Droplets of blood falling down into the ground like a hot steaming shower while the moonlight shone uncaring above them. No one noticing that there was no sound coming from each splatter of red when they collided on the ground.
Rose could feel the tension building up inside her, how the air became frigid and cold, her breath hitching underneath her chests while a warmth started to spread around her cheeks as fluster started to take hold of her heart.
Like a knight of her stories, yet more humane in nature the black haired boy remained impassive to his own wounds, taking a step closer, then another, his blade swinging in the air with no apparent impediment while his legs crouched into a stance she did not recognise.
Then all hell broke loose when a shriek of agony echoed loud and clear through the entire village. Startling her and the bandits.
But not him…
And just like that it was over.
His body becoming into a blur, she could barely make heads of Koldarrds form dashing through the air, let alone the scarlet blade that glinted with a bright red hue by the glistening, sticky arterial fluid still wrapped around it.
The older brother was the first to go...
Sliced in half in a cut so clean and fast that it was hard to think a blade had even do that as it remained a blur to her. His upper half flying into the air as if it had been just a piece of paper that had been yanked and tossed into the wind, his face stuck in a horrifying grimace of shock and pain, not understanding that death had taken him.
His innards starting to rain above them by the time Koldarrd swung his blade to the side, not parring away the sharp edges of a pair of knives that were meant to claw their way into her friends body, but shattering the steel like it was made of glass with contentious ease that she felt a wave of wind slam against her by the small shock-wave the move had produced.
Sharp shards of iron becoming now lodged into the bandits face and barely covered chest, cutting and searing the flesh and bone like nothing. His face creased with clear shock and pain which only doubled when he found himself devoid of his hands with a simple stroke of her friends blade.
The hateful things falling down into the ground with a soft thud, only for them to bee stomped out of existence by her friends boot. Leaving nothing but a smear of blood and cartilage behind a crater.
The man tried to scream, to beg for mercy but he was silenced when the pommel of his own sword found its way into his throat, passing through his mouth first. Breaking down his teeth as if they were thin little tweaks, splintering and cracking down as they either fell out into the ground or he mistakable swallowed in poodles of his own blood that started to clog his mouth.
The criminals body squirming in pain and panic, his bloodhot eyes crying rivers worth of tears as the bloodstained hands of Koldarrd grasped and shattered the mans jaw with seemingly ease. The sound of the bones turning into paste atrocious yet all too appealing, but if she thought that would be the end of it...she would be wrong
A notion that was reinforced as she watched the black haired boy dropping his sword so that he could use his own two hands in forcing the barely hanging thing open with an iron grip that did not match his size, forcing the grown man to swallow his brothers own innards one by one.
Only when he seemed satisfied with his work he kicked the man between his legs, Rose barely hearing the sound of something like a bag imploding as a result before he grabbed him by the leg and threw him out through a building or two. A feat of strength that led her mouth wide open as she was left awestruck like a toddler seeing their first gift.
She should have been apprehensive to the bloodshed that had been so carelessly spilled before her eyes.
She should have felt horrified by the brutality, so brief, so quick and yet so gruesome that had been delivered.…
A knight was meant to protect and fight against evil, to stand tall for those who could not, to uphold the vows and beliefs of those they cared about, but they did offer mercy in return to those already beaten.
That had not been mercy.
It was anything but...
And yet, be it for the pounding of her heart, or the adrenaline still coursing through her veins for the fact that she was almost killed a few moments ago, instead of worry and fear to crawl over her back she felt admiration pounding at her heart.
Her heart fluttered once again, this time even more strongly than before when their eyes found themselves when he glimpsed at her direction. A fleeting mirage perhaps, or just the haziness of her sight.. but not even the new splatted blood staining his hair and dripping down his face could shield away those silver hued eyes from finding her. A scene that if she recolled correctly, resembled the same from a book she had read before.
She didn't felt in danger, after all...he was her friend.
He had done this to protect her.
How could he be evil..?
Yes, that was right. His acts were not as tempered as a knight in shining armour because he was outraged by what they had done to her.…
He cared…
The thought made her cheeks grew scarlet with images that should not have been there in her mind. Perhaps she had read too many visual romance novels for her good.
Sadly, the string of positive feelings would halt when she took notice of the large open wound in the boys chest.
Reminding her the price he had to pay for her life.
He knelt right in front of her, offering his hand...but she did not return the gesture in kind. Instead she lowered her head, to stop gazing at what her folly had brought.
``Koldarrd...´´
``I am here...´´
He answered, his soothing voice reaching her, yet tears started to strim down her eyes once again, their bitter taste reaching her tongue when they slid pass her lips.
``Koldarrd...´´
``Rose, breath in...breath out´´
She tried to comply, but instead she stretched her hand forward. Her fingers gracing and becoming slick by fresh blood that continued to pour from the wound as she pressed her delicate hands against the drenched cloth.
``Koldarrd I..´´
``Its ok, its over...are you injured? Do you help to stand..?´´
Weakly, she rose her head..., her sight still blurry while her golden hair jangling to the sides. She wanted to speak, to answer…, but what could she said to that?
How could she even try to respond with grace as if nothing had happened..?
Her face must have shown when Koldarrds face frowned first into confusion, then in mild understanding.
``Is something wrong...?´´
At that she could only chuckle, weakly though in her bitterness...
``How..how could you say that with a smile on your face!? You are wounded! You are bleeding!´´
How could he not see that? Let alone, feel that...!?
And yet, much to her chagrin he shrugged.
``I had worse…´´
She wanted to laugh, to shook her head in dismay at either the stubbornness or the gallant nature of her friend, or just hit him with her hands even if that would not do a damn thing.
``Please, now is not the time for jokes just to make me feel better…, please...I cant..I cant bear the thought of it´´
His eyes glinted with a shadow of bemusement, though perhaps that was a shadow in her own eyes given the blurriness still lingering in them by the tears she had shed.
When she tried to take a better look there was only worry plastered on them.
``I am sorry to cause this pain to you…, Rose. I really am..´´
``What are you apologizing for!? I did this! I hurt you! If I had been stronger..if I had been faster..´´
``No Rose, please listen..´´
``I should have run away.., I should have listened to you and stay in the house away from trouble. I just wanted to give you a gift, to you..to Alpha and-and..´´
Her voice died out when she saw his hand hover above her head.
She closed her eyes, flinching more by reflect than actual desire to do so. Only for her to realize that, he had not struck her...instead had chosen to pat her head.
…
…
This was not what she had wanted to happen.
Perhaps that was what drew her to put that into words. Her own weakness be damn...
``I wanted to apologize…, to try to mend things ´´
That was all she had wanted to do. Just that…
Why couldn't she have simple things..?
``I know..´´
``And now you..y-you..by the goddess the blood... there is so much blood...´´
``Rose..´´
``Y-yes?´´
``Do you trust me...?´´
The question took her aback, why was he asking her that..?
``I-I…´´
He crouched to her level, grasping her shoulders as he slowly drew her closer to him. His glare intensifying yet softening at the same time. Melting all that brought dread into her soul.
``Please, I need you to say it...´´
He pleaded. She bit her lip, refusing to look away from those kind eyes.
What was left to say to that? What could she said, but the truth..?
``I do...´´
Two words.
Two little things, and yet they weighed heavily on her…the acknowledgement freeing her from it.
``Thanks…, that is the only thing I wanted to hear. Thank you..
With that he released his grip on her and rose.
`` Alpha and I will take care of things, I know you want to help, I know you want to stay by our side...but we would be more relieved if you were not in harms way. Ho back to the house, hide under the bed. You remember your way back, right?´´
She nodded, knowing full well that if she were to speak out she could trust herself from not breaking down in the spot.
``That is good…, that is very good...´´
He closed his eyes, brushing aside his hair to the side so that it didn't covered his face.
``I will be back with you soon enough. Both of us will be back...´´
And with that he walked away from her, brandishing his blade up into the air, holding it tightly as he marched to face wherever the rest of those cruel men resided.
She could only stare at his back, noticing the way his form grew smaller with each step.
She held her hands together, in silence, under the eyes of the she promised herself that this would be the last day she would be weak.
ºº
He knew that this time the girl would heed his words as he sensed the way she started to move away from what would be the incoming onslaught of blood the two of them would feast.
He had already show her a little glimpse, there was no need to overstay and cloud her mind with more.
This will be enough.
Traumatic events needed to be controlled if one wanted to make use of them, whether they were planned or just a product of happen-stance.
Too little and there would be nothing to learn from them.
Too much and they would break from the scars.
None would be of any use to him, so it was good that he arrived when he did.
It didn't took him long to reach who he was looking for.
His eyes scanned down the scent of blood in the air, taking in the trails of fresh spilled scarlet now staining the ground before they ended on the battered, shattered form of the bandit he had toyed with a little earlier.
Had he been in a good mood he would have just killed him and be with it. Thanks to that miserable flesh bag he wasn't.
He was past the point of anger.
He stomped the mans leg, the bone shattered like glass, splinters of it flying in all directions like splinters made of wood.
He cried out, tears trailing down his face while the scent of soiled pants reached him, but without any teeth his words were left barren of any sense…
Nor like he would have listen to them.
You didn't speak with livestock...
The sounds of battle could be heard a bit further away, the sound of men dying in droves was a pleasant sound.
``It seems that she has already started working on her part...´´
Perhaps if he hurried, he could get to see the last vestiges of her work…, the thought was tempting, but alas he too wanted to pursue his own ambitions. No matter how banal they seemed in his mind, which was a pity, for he really wanted to see her battle.
With that said, he switched his attention back at the matter at hand.
``You….´´
The inhuman growl could not have come from the form of the boy he held now. And soon enough, Koldarrd dissipated, leaving behind what hid between the illusion.
The bandits face had already grown pale by the blood loss, yet once his hazy eyes turned to see him, he turned even more pale than the moonlight hovering in the skies.
He graved him, talons digging into his flesh as he yanked the pitiful creature to face him.
``Of all the souls in this wasted, pitiful little seeding in the universe. Of all the people you could have a come across to screw over. You tried to steal my treasure…´´.
``You tried to take what wasn't yours, to put your filthy claws in what belonged to me...´´
He seethed out, the vitriol in his voice would have made the man piss himself had he not already do it back in his little debut.
The stench of fear however was far stronger than that. And the little shit reeked on it.
And he revelled on it.
``I would have lauded your boldness for even trying, yet I know that it was merely pushed by the mediocre empty head of yours..´´
His grip grew a little tighter, tearing more of his flesh in the process as he pulled him closer, to the point the man could sense the putrid scent of ashes and poison coming out through the filters of his mask. The burning coals he had for eyes bathing the bandit in a tide of red light.
``Still, if you wanted to take things, you should have just said so…´´
Confusion dawned in those misty eyes, the man's lips started to open and close, like a fish that had been left to die out from the waters, but nothing but a sick gargle of blood and teeth could be heard.
He reared his other fist back, dark purplish like energy wrapping around his limb like dense mist. The howling of a million souls shrieking all at once in an unintelligible tide of whispers. He took a deep breath, taking in the corrosive substance once more through his insides, feeling its ardent touch..
`` Allow me to gift you something for your efforts´´
He thrust his arm forward, impaling the man with it as it tore through his chest like nothing and came out from the other end. A short gasp, a curling spit of blood was all that left through the man's mouth. He did not pull out, he did not loosen his grip...
``From my own flesh and blood...´´
Dark veins started to rapture through the man's flesh, marring the paleness that had taking hold through the shock and blood-loss, widening, spreading like the webs of a spider or a cancerous decease before he could hear each and every one of them bulge and burst inside the cavities of his body.
His skin started to shed out, slowly and small spots at first, revealing the muscle and tendons below. Pulsating as if they had a live of their own before the meat became darken and rotten. Falling apart as if mere crumbles of bread they were.
His bones became brittle before they shattered one after the other..., gnawed away by an invisible and voracious mouth that chewed them from the inside out. His eyes shining with panic and shows of terror never thought possible in a human face sunk down his own flesh and skull. Blood-vessels bursting and blinding them in a tide of red, yet soon enough they became misty with biles leaking out from everywhere, nerves becoming raw and worn down until his eyes rolled out from his sockets into the floor below.
He opened his mouth, toothless as it was before, now lipless and scarred as the flesh became dry like an empty husk, the gums falling out like rusted beams over an ancient temple, worms tearing through the now open cavities into the open.
His body sagged, falling limp under his grasp like a string-less puppet…
He could hear the screams reverberating through the man's skull through the entire process, drinking in his misery like the most delicious wine, bemusement humming underneath his cruel eyes as he knew that now nothing but his victims churned, rotting mind remained to voice his pain once he realized that his vocal cords had been severed.
He wanted to scream, and he had no voice to do so...
At any other given time it would have been quite the exquisite torment to behold….
But this was not enough.
He wanted more…
He wanted to see more...
And so he clenched his fist, the act almost pulling his soul from his corporeal vessel, wounding his spirit..
As a response his lower half became bloated before it fell down as the flesh became too thin and lithe to actually hold its weight any-more. Spilling out gushes of half dried blood mixed with the yellowish strands of puss of wounds decades old. With maggots and insects of any kind from this realm and beyond popping out from half eaten muscles or eggs that had been layered inside what was left of his worn down guts.
The skin around his face melted, revealing the bare skull underneath in all its glory, cracks forming around its ebony bloodstained surface by the second before it mirrored to perfection a smashed window under his iron heels...
And yet he still lived…
Not by luck, but his design. Feeling each and every single ounce of pain a human mind could register, yet robbed of the ability to shut down and embrace the darkness of the other side. Forced to be lucid through it all.
He wanted him to suffer..
He wanted him to know from start to finish the weight of his sins.
And that he was here, to deliver him to whatever hell-pit awaited him.
Soon enough his body dissolved in his hands, falling to the ground as a mass of bile, rotting flesh and intestinal fluid mixed with specks of brain matter.
And he still lived. Hanging by a thread which he held with contempt, but alive…
But, could that be even considered life..?
It was hard to believe that it had been once a human being. Looking at the product of his work, he could only find distaste at the bubbling puddle of blood.
If he had wanted he could have just healed him and do it all over again...
He could have…
Instead he set what was left of him on fire. Allowing him to feel the flames scorch and bite what was left of him before he cut the thread for which he clung to life.
This was enough self gratification as it was.
It was time to see what Alpha had done.