Post by Bonnie on Jun 10, 2007 13:18:29 GMT -5
Morning dawned brightly in the City of Aevis, streaming into the stained glass windows of the Imperial Palace to disturb those few within its walls who served the Empire as warriors as well as being nobility. Amongst these were the various Generals and Admirals of the Aevis Forces - not only knights, but Mages from the Aevis Mage Council as well. This particular morning, almost all of the Admirals and Generals were in the War Council Room, along with the Imperial Prince, who had also played the role of Ambassador to the Beshulthien Empire...to only not reach an agreeable arrangement.
The only one missing was the Imperial Princess, Prince Darius Raisur Black's twin sister, who was also elder than him, to be completely technical. The Princess, Arianna Jade Black, was currently still asleep, much to the dismay of her magickal companion - a fae dragon by the name of Agthalanon. Fae dragon are essentially a miniature relative of the dragon, and are about the size of a house cat when full-grown. Agthalanon was a black fae dragon, with purple mane and eyes, but silver teeth and claws.
Agthalanon turned his purple eyes to his mistress, who slept in bed, rather violently. She had already tossed and turned so much she was desperately tangled in the rich sheets that surrounded her pale form. Her skin was covered in sweat, making her dakr curls soaked so they stuck to her skin, instead of gracing the silks she lay in.
Crystal everywhere. The halls in which Arianna stood in were underwater, and completely made of crystal, but bore the garnishing of a rich palace. However...the floor was stained with blood and bodies, blood oozing slowly from the puncture wounds on the necks of the corpses, splashes of blood stained the walls from violent attacks.
The transparent crystal halls of a city lost in history, the mighty Gal’edean Ocean and Her creatures visible on the other side of the intricately caved stone, the scene tainted by the blood of fallen Vampir. Tainting the crystal floors and the gilded artifacts that lined the hall, stained, tainted, made malevolent.
A catch of breath, then the release, to breath no more…as each Vampir before it had done, after being tossed mercilessly aside, necks bloodied by the fangs of a creature foreign to the world and its gods and protectors. Then, movement. Languid movement, like that of a great tiger which had perhaps sated its hunger… But, never was hunger truly sated until the moment of death…and yet, even that was finite, for once reborn, hunger returned… But for these Vampir, they would never discover such. They had already out-lived their own lives, even out-lived their incarnated lives, had they had them. Now, they were to stay dead, in whatever darkness consumed those tossed into eternal slumber.
A trickle of scarlet slid over full lips, and down a pure white chin, to then drip to the floor, and land in a pool of blood at Arianna’s feet. A young woman with eyes that bore no emotion, and held the countenance of the dead, although she was quite obviously living – what was her purpose? And what had driven her to feed off of so many Vampir...was she one of them? Hating their kind, and wishing to destroy them all? Or…was she something else?
A slight twitch of acknowledgement as Arianna started to turn, turn to face the one who had approached her as she fed on the Vampir, watching in horror and shock as the once sweet young woman turned into a crazed human animal.
Before she could turn even a fraction, a sword suddenly slid through her torso from behind, tearing a startled cry of pain from her full, tainted lips.
‘Forgive me…’ a male voice whispered in the young woman’s ear, hand wrapped around the woman’s throat, ‘You…have left me no choice, my love…’
The touch of hair brushing her shoulder as the man hung his head slightly, hesitating, his vibrant blue locks falling over the should of his heart’s desire… How could he possibly do this?
The Vampir let out a breath, and in a quick motion, drew the sword up through the heart of the young woman, his face stained with tears of anger, of confusion, of utter hurt… what had happened to this young woman he so desired…?
The Vampir withdrew his sword and threw it aside as if it were an evil thing, and embraced his love…his love…which he had killed… He buried his face into the shoulder of the limp young woman for a long moment, before carefully laying her down on the floor, and then he frowned in confusion – her locket…where had it gone?
A frantic search of the bloodied hall revealed nothing… And he could have sworn he had seen it on her before!
Arianna fell out of the bed and onto the floor with a loud yell, sheets tangled complexly around her form, like a cocoon. She thrashed for a moment before realizing she was awake, and made a disdainful face as she began to untangle herself, muttering irritably as Agthalanon swooped down to land in front of his mistress.
'If you do not hurry you are going to be extremely late.' Agthalanon said, bored, licking one of his paws, 'Or have you forgotten already?'
"Huh?" Arianna asked, frowning and turning her blue eyes to the dragon, "What are you talking about?"
Agthalanon snorted and motioned at a window with his snout as his mistress finally freed herself, and stood. Stalking over to the open window, Arianna looked out to see on the far horizon lines upon lines of military might on the Northern Shore of Lake Lacir, as well as many airships, which had flown the military might of Beshulthien to the Sky Empire of Aevis.
Arianna turned from the window with a frown, and rushed through her morning routine, gulping down food before running to her wardrobe and yanking on the first layer of underclothes necessary under her heavy plate armor. Next came the padding, then finally the plate armor itself. The plate armor was Elvan-made, made personally for her before the Dur'aknuth Empire had been taken-over by the Beshulthien's. The Dur'aknuth Elves specialized in making armor and weapons which befitted an individual's personality and deepest soul. The art took hundreds of years of training to perfect, but the Elven people were a very long-lived race, so they had the time.
Arianna's personal armor was ebony in color, and had subtle silver patterns etched into it; feathers, water, wind, fire, ice and stars. The armor was etched so intricately and with such skill that it all seemed to move in the way it would were it real. Each plate of armor sloped into a sharp point, so her armor was very spiky in appearance.
'Its noon.' Agthalanon called with a huff, 'At this rate, you are going to be late for your meeting, Your Highness.'
Arianna paused, frowning, and turned to look at the dragon over her shoulder.
"Meeting?" Arianna asked, frowning, "What meet- Oh...I'd hoped that was just another nightmare as well..."
Arianna grumbled and yanked on her greaves, before rummaging around for her gauntlets and yanking them on as well. Through the whole process she simply used her slight skill of telekinesis to fasten the innumerable straps of her plated armor, in order to cut-down on time.
'I'm afraid not... I don't know what that Vampir is thinking! Declaring war on Aevis...' Agthalanon muttered, landing on a ledge above a drawer that his mistress was rummaging around in
"Well, maybe its best for Aevis - Mother and Father are so..." Arianna sighed, and pulled a silver chain out of the drawer, "Well, you know... They think humans should enslave all creatures, and plan on using me and Darius to do it."
Walking back out of her wardrobe, into her private study, she fiddled with then chain, bringing it behind her neck and sliding one part of the chain through a silver hoop, then took the end that dangled to her navel, and clipped a family heirloom to the end - a silver, heart-shaped locket, intricately engraved with roses and vines. She was rather attached to the item...though, she wasn't quite sure why, since she pretty much hated anything to do with her family...
Arianna let the locket drop to hang on the delicate chain, and shook her long curly locks out with a hand as she strode towards the door, Agthalanon trailing her. Then of course, pulled on her gauntlets again, having to have removed them in order to put on her one piece of jewelry she wouldn't go without.
"So, any hypotheses regarding this sudden declaration of war?" Arianna asked, glancing at the dragon as they walked down a hallway.
'I'm not sure... His Excellency is usually so reserved...' Agthalanon replied, 'Something desperate must have happened. In any event, at least you have been training the Aevis forces, opposed to your predecessor.' Agthalanon snorted again as they strode into the Main Hall, which was cluttered with courtiers and guards.
Arianna made her way silently through the clutter of people, including a growing number of Draekin - some of which had decided to abandon their Empire after hearing rumors of war. Aevis was now the only free Empire, all others having been taken over in a strategic movement by the Beshulthiens, in order to cut off Aevis' supplies, since Aevis could only get its foods and most other things from the world below, because of the poisonous soil of Aevis.
Nodding to those who saluted her, or bowed or curtsied, she mad her way to a large ebony door, inlaid with three Aevis sigils - the Imperial sigil, the one of the Armed Forces, and of the Mage Academy.
The silver sigil flashed blindingly as she approached, and the doors swung open, and she walked in on a chaotic scene.
Generals and Admirals all arguing with each other, a lesser soldier had the Beshulthien messenger to the side of the room, away from the group.
"So, who can tell me where all of my disciplined soldiers have gone?" Arianna snapped icily, her voice easily carrying over the crowd,
Continued below>[/b]
The only one missing was the Imperial Princess, Prince Darius Raisur Black's twin sister, who was also elder than him, to be completely technical. The Princess, Arianna Jade Black, was currently still asleep, much to the dismay of her magickal companion - a fae dragon by the name of Agthalanon. Fae dragon are essentially a miniature relative of the dragon, and are about the size of a house cat when full-grown. Agthalanon was a black fae dragon, with purple mane and eyes, but silver teeth and claws.
Agthalanon turned his purple eyes to his mistress, who slept in bed, rather violently. She had already tossed and turned so much she was desperately tangled in the rich sheets that surrounded her pale form. Her skin was covered in sweat, making her dakr curls soaked so they stuck to her skin, instead of gracing the silks she lay in.
Crystal everywhere. The halls in which Arianna stood in were underwater, and completely made of crystal, but bore the garnishing of a rich palace. However...the floor was stained with blood and bodies, blood oozing slowly from the puncture wounds on the necks of the corpses, splashes of blood stained the walls from violent attacks.
The transparent crystal halls of a city lost in history, the mighty Gal’edean Ocean and Her creatures visible on the other side of the intricately caved stone, the scene tainted by the blood of fallen Vampir. Tainting the crystal floors and the gilded artifacts that lined the hall, stained, tainted, made malevolent.
A catch of breath, then the release, to breath no more…as each Vampir before it had done, after being tossed mercilessly aside, necks bloodied by the fangs of a creature foreign to the world and its gods and protectors. Then, movement. Languid movement, like that of a great tiger which had perhaps sated its hunger… But, never was hunger truly sated until the moment of death…and yet, even that was finite, for once reborn, hunger returned… But for these Vampir, they would never discover such. They had already out-lived their own lives, even out-lived their incarnated lives, had they had them. Now, they were to stay dead, in whatever darkness consumed those tossed into eternal slumber.
A trickle of scarlet slid over full lips, and down a pure white chin, to then drip to the floor, and land in a pool of blood at Arianna’s feet. A young woman with eyes that bore no emotion, and held the countenance of the dead, although she was quite obviously living – what was her purpose? And what had driven her to feed off of so many Vampir...was she one of them? Hating their kind, and wishing to destroy them all? Or…was she something else?
A slight twitch of acknowledgement as Arianna started to turn, turn to face the one who had approached her as she fed on the Vampir, watching in horror and shock as the once sweet young woman turned into a crazed human animal.
Before she could turn even a fraction, a sword suddenly slid through her torso from behind, tearing a startled cry of pain from her full, tainted lips.
‘Forgive me…’ a male voice whispered in the young woman’s ear, hand wrapped around the woman’s throat, ‘You…have left me no choice, my love…’
The touch of hair brushing her shoulder as the man hung his head slightly, hesitating, his vibrant blue locks falling over the should of his heart’s desire… How could he possibly do this?
The Vampir let out a breath, and in a quick motion, drew the sword up through the heart of the young woman, his face stained with tears of anger, of confusion, of utter hurt… what had happened to this young woman he so desired…?
The Vampir withdrew his sword and threw it aside as if it were an evil thing, and embraced his love…his love…which he had killed… He buried his face into the shoulder of the limp young woman for a long moment, before carefully laying her down on the floor, and then he frowned in confusion – her locket…where had it gone?
A frantic search of the bloodied hall revealed nothing… And he could have sworn he had seen it on her before!
Arianna fell out of the bed and onto the floor with a loud yell, sheets tangled complexly around her form, like a cocoon. She thrashed for a moment before realizing she was awake, and made a disdainful face as she began to untangle herself, muttering irritably as Agthalanon swooped down to land in front of his mistress.
'If you do not hurry you are going to be extremely late.' Agthalanon said, bored, licking one of his paws, 'Or have you forgotten already?'
"Huh?" Arianna asked, frowning and turning her blue eyes to the dragon, "What are you talking about?"
Agthalanon snorted and motioned at a window with his snout as his mistress finally freed herself, and stood. Stalking over to the open window, Arianna looked out to see on the far horizon lines upon lines of military might on the Northern Shore of Lake Lacir, as well as many airships, which had flown the military might of Beshulthien to the Sky Empire of Aevis.
Arianna turned from the window with a frown, and rushed through her morning routine, gulping down food before running to her wardrobe and yanking on the first layer of underclothes necessary under her heavy plate armor. Next came the padding, then finally the plate armor itself. The plate armor was Elvan-made, made personally for her before the Dur'aknuth Empire had been taken-over by the Beshulthien's. The Dur'aknuth Elves specialized in making armor and weapons which befitted an individual's personality and deepest soul. The art took hundreds of years of training to perfect, but the Elven people were a very long-lived race, so they had the time.
Arianna's personal armor was ebony in color, and had subtle silver patterns etched into it; feathers, water, wind, fire, ice and stars. The armor was etched so intricately and with such skill that it all seemed to move in the way it would were it real. Each plate of armor sloped into a sharp point, so her armor was very spiky in appearance.
'Its noon.' Agthalanon called with a huff, 'At this rate, you are going to be late for your meeting, Your Highness.'
Arianna paused, frowning, and turned to look at the dragon over her shoulder.
"Meeting?" Arianna asked, frowning, "What meet- Oh...I'd hoped that was just another nightmare as well..."
Arianna grumbled and yanked on her greaves, before rummaging around for her gauntlets and yanking them on as well. Through the whole process she simply used her slight skill of telekinesis to fasten the innumerable straps of her plated armor, in order to cut-down on time.
'I'm afraid not... I don't know what that Vampir is thinking! Declaring war on Aevis...' Agthalanon muttered, landing on a ledge above a drawer that his mistress was rummaging around in
"Well, maybe its best for Aevis - Mother and Father are so..." Arianna sighed, and pulled a silver chain out of the drawer, "Well, you know... They think humans should enslave all creatures, and plan on using me and Darius to do it."
Walking back out of her wardrobe, into her private study, she fiddled with then chain, bringing it behind her neck and sliding one part of the chain through a silver hoop, then took the end that dangled to her navel, and clipped a family heirloom to the end - a silver, heart-shaped locket, intricately engraved with roses and vines. She was rather attached to the item...though, she wasn't quite sure why, since she pretty much hated anything to do with her family...
Arianna let the locket drop to hang on the delicate chain, and shook her long curly locks out with a hand as she strode towards the door, Agthalanon trailing her. Then of course, pulled on her gauntlets again, having to have removed them in order to put on her one piece of jewelry she wouldn't go without.
"So, any hypotheses regarding this sudden declaration of war?" Arianna asked, glancing at the dragon as they walked down a hallway.
'I'm not sure... His Excellency is usually so reserved...' Agthalanon replied, 'Something desperate must have happened. In any event, at least you have been training the Aevis forces, opposed to your predecessor.' Agthalanon snorted again as they strode into the Main Hall, which was cluttered with courtiers and guards.
Arianna made her way silently through the clutter of people, including a growing number of Draekin - some of which had decided to abandon their Empire after hearing rumors of war. Aevis was now the only free Empire, all others having been taken over in a strategic movement by the Beshulthiens, in order to cut off Aevis' supplies, since Aevis could only get its foods and most other things from the world below, because of the poisonous soil of Aevis.
Nodding to those who saluted her, or bowed or curtsied, she mad her way to a large ebony door, inlaid with three Aevis sigils - the Imperial sigil, the one of the Armed Forces, and of the Mage Academy.
The silver sigil flashed blindingly as she approached, and the doors swung open, and she walked in on a chaotic scene.
Generals and Admirals all arguing with each other, a lesser soldier had the Beshulthien messenger to the side of the room, away from the group.
"So, who can tell me where all of my disciplined soldiers have gone?" Arianna snapped icily, her voice easily carrying over the crowd,
Continued below>[/b]
