Blood Halves Prologue: The End Death puts your entire existence into perspective. What have you accomplished or left unfinished? What will your death leave behind? Was it all worth dying for? Having grown in Neriak, she always thought her death to be underneath another's dagger. Few in that underground city died of natural causes: drowning, being mauled by bears and the like. Even fewer died peacefully. It was the way of things. But she couldn't help but to think over what could have been. Was the outcome even possible to change? Maybe if she opened up a bit more in the beginning, talked a little more, less studying or...something. Maybe. "You aren't thinking very imaginatively here. We're basically the physical opposites of each other! That has to mean something! What are the odds of me finding you like this?" "We live in a cave, shan't be that hard." "Fine then! Be stubborn! But I warn you, I am not giving up on this!" So many memories...so little time to think them over. "I've got it!" A sigh. "I've been thinking lately-" "Wonderful." "-and I think it's got something to do with destiny, fate and such. It's got to be! Just looking at you makes me feel weird." "I'm not that way." A short tense silence. "You are not getting rid of me that easy." Too many feelings to sort through. "What are you, some kind of clockwork? You must have emotions in there somewhere!" "Respect for our Creator, apathy for the plight of the helpless, the willingness to shed blood when needed." A pause. "I do not want to taint myself with anything else." "Ugh, do you actually believe that?" Eyes flashed. "You do not." "Of course not!" A sly grin. "We're perfect no matter what we do!" Death started somewhere around her toes. An itching that began to ooze up past her ankles, claw its way up the legs, burned past the abdomen, swelled the lungs and was carried by the next labored exhale rustling up her throat to hammer on her mind. A soft but sardonically amused chuckle was echoing in her ears. After all that work... And it ends like this. Fate must have gotten tired of playing with me. And she was almost relieved that the cosmic joke had ended. Almost. She was still impaled on a tree after all. It doesn't seem like anyone really reads Traveler's Tales anymore, but I'm going to try and finish this one up anyway. If anyone wants, feel free to leave feedback. I'm aiming for a chapter a day til it's done unless strange things happen.
Chapter One: Caged Freedom "Vi-ka-ar!" The voice sang out, it's cheerful tone out of place in the dank cave that housed Neriak. So foreign, it was familiar. There was only one who could reliably get away with it. One of Cristanos' children, an Arasai, resolved herself to fate. She was hardly unusual, black wings with red tendrils reaching for the center and shaggy white hair long enough to completely obscure one ruby eye. She was beautiful in an elvish way, as all the Arasai were. Nothing special at all. "Vikar! I've got a surprise for you!" A weathered tome was snapped shut. Quiet time was over. An Arasai that could almost be described as Vikar's opposite ran up to her, a wide grin on her face. Short red hair, black eyes, and wings almost exactly the same save for a reverse color scheme. And that smile. The previously studying Arasai eyed her nuisance with a tiny bit of apprehension. Another surprise. Why is she-? "Why are you on the ground?" The red head had been shifting her weight around on her legs which was an oddity. The answer was short. "Can't fly." Vikar's eyes fell on the culprit, a limp wing. It only took her a moment to remember. Oh yes. I had broken it. It had been something like a sparring match, although it started due to Alyctra's inability to be quiet. I could have sworn I healed it. Apparently, she had not. There was a faint glimmer of an emotion that could have been mistaken as guilt by a lesser race. Arasai just felt inconvenienced. "I haven't told you the surprise yet!" Came the protest as Vikar moved to lay hands on the wing. "Tell me as I am taking care of this, Alyc. Do not move." Pouting, she held still but her joy couldn't be contained just because Vikar was being a meanie. Again. "We have permission to go beyond Darklight, Vikar! Isn't that great?" There was a hideous cracking sound as Vikar broke one of the few wing bones that had been previously untouched. It was a testament to Alyctra's training that she didn't flinch. It probably didn't hurt for very long anyway. One of Vikar's strongest healing spells required for the patient to be hurt first. Stepping back she surveyed her handiwork. "That's interesting. Alyc." It would be sore, but the wing was fine now. "Why would I want to leave?" Her friend (a dubious title to be sure) turned to face her, a small glint in her eyes. The whole thing reeked of extensive planning. "Practical experience of course! I can't get stronger hunting snakes and my wing was the biggest thing you practiced on all month!" Vikar nodded, cogs turning in her mind. "And how did you get permission?" Alyctra waved a hand dismissively, as if that had been the easiest part of the plan. "Tricked my instructor and got Mother to extend it to you." In response she got a slow blink. "Mother" to Alyctra was "Queen Cristanos" to nearly everyone else. In her mind, Cristanos gave "birth" to her by giving her life and treated the ruler of Neriak according to her belief. It was unknown why the Queen didn't seem to mind too much although Vikar had her suspicions. After a few years, she probably just gave up. Cristanos, giving up? Blasphemy. she thought, slightly amused. "I won't ask for the details." Alyc deflated having hoped to be able to share. "But I will come along. Do I need to pack?" She watched her "other half" shake her head. "Just your precious books." Alyc's eyes gained a sly look. "You aren't going to wait until we reach Nektulos to kill me and stash my body away are you?" "I would have no need to heal you then. Do you think me that kind of person?" A proud look established itself on the shadowknight's face. "Everyone in Neriak is that kind of person!" The inquisitor in training left, beating her wings softly and mulling over the truth in Alyc's words. A shame. Perhaps I should have said post every *other* day or something...
Yeah, afore mentioned strange things happened (I moved countries) and in setting up completely lost track of my story notes. I can continue if anyone wants but if not then I won't. Writing is fun but being able to tell a tale to an audience is where the true enjoyment lies for me.
I really like your writing style. Now that you have posted a different story, I like the new one even better. You should most definitely continue to write
