KHI: Writing Contest! [Ends September 1st!]

[Eternal Dream]

Okay, I'm going to say this right here, right now. This one sucked. HARD. Here's the original, here's my version, here's a song to go with mine, and here's some tissues. Hope it works for you as much as it hated me.

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Stoick's Death

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Spoiler Show

The Things That I’ve Done​

Blood roared in his ears, and his vision was all funny. Toothless blinked slowly, his world coming back into focus, sulfur thick in his mouth and the air as smoke from dragon fire hung in low, dense clouds across the battlefield. The dragon shook his head, flinging the last remnants of the Dark Alpha from his mind. Drago Bludvist thought he could turn Toothless against Berk? Against Stoick and his mate, the dragon priestess? Against Hiccup? Never.

He’d die first.

Remember the day I was trapped in the woods?​

The ropes cut into his scaled skin, pinning his wings against his sides. His flanks heaved as he struggled for each breath, instinct the only thing that kept him breathing in the first place. His tail… Great Dragon in the Sky, his tail was on fire, the wound where the stabilizing fin had ripped off pulsing, red-hot and low like lava. He’d struggled against his bonds until about an hour ago, but then, exhaustion and despair had at last ceased his thrashing. The ropes and stones had brought about his end. Even if he was able to break free, his tail, Dragon of the Sky, his tail…

He couldn’t fly anymore.

A soft sound drew his attention, forcing the dragon to open one bleary, tired eye. It was a human, a scrawny hatchling from the village. Fear bubbled up in the young dragon’s stomach, but he didn’t move. Even when he saw the knife in the boy’s hand, even when he heard the Viking threaten him, the Night Fury didn’t move. What did it matter? He was dead; so what if it was a human that took care of the formality that was the short span of life he had left?

I thought you’d kill me…​

The dragon’s eyes flew open as he heard the ropes being sawed at. Fear, confusion, and instinct all bunched together in his head when he realized that the boy was cutting him free. The Night Fury pounced on him as soon as he was loose, instinct taking over again. He should kill the Viking, before he could hurt him again. Instead, he roared as loud as he could at the boy before he streaked away, doing his best to keep his sense of direction through the haze of pain filling his mind and body. He fell over a small cliff soon after, but that small act of mercy had set something into motion, something huge that he’d never expected.

… but you didn’t.​

A soft cry caught Toothless’ attention, pulling his gaze to a spot of beach that was sheltered by a low ice wall. Stoick and Valka were kneeling in the stones of the beach, their heads bowed low over something Stoick was cradling in his arms as the priestess broke down. What was it?

Toothless, no!

Hiccup. Toothless wanted to rush right over, but something stopped him. Cautiously, he walked toward Stock and Valka, a heavy weight settling into his stomach. They looked… heartbroken. What was wrong? His head had been fuzzy for a little bit because of the Dark Alpha, but Toothless hadn’t done anything, right? He’d fought the Alpha off, right? He wouldn’t have…

Stoick rocked back on his heels, and Toothless saw Hiccup held in the older Viking’s arms, his head rolling limply to the side. Toothless’ veins turned to ice, his senses honing in on Hiccup as the Night Fury stopped dead in his tracks. He wasn’t breathing. Toothless couldn’t hear his heart beat…

No.

Remember the day I dragged you to fly, and it began raining as you said it would?​

“We need to head back, bud. Rain’s coming in, and we’re either gonna get soaked or Thor’s gonna use us for target practice.”

Toothless heard Hiccup’s concern, but he couldn’t head back to Berk. Not yet. He needed to fly today, he needed to be there. The dragon and the Viking had been friends for a year, but there were things that they still didn’t know about each other. And this was one thing Hiccup had to know about, because Toothless needed Hiccup’s help to reach the sea-bound cliff.

Thunder rumbled through steel grey clouds as Toothless finally touched down. Hiccup climbed off his back, looking around the small cliff. There was a cave at their backs, and in front of them was ocean, and what looked to be a memorial built out of rocks by a dragon. Toothless lowered his head, closing his eyes for a moment as a low hum vibrated in his chest. He felt Hiccup rest his hand on the side of his head, but Toothless kept his thoughts directed inward, even when Hiccup asked, “What’s this, bud?”

A sharp crack of thunder broke the air moments before the rain came sheeting down. Hiccup yelped in surprise as Toothless spread his wings, offering him a token amount of shelter as boy and dragon raced for the cave to wait out the storm.

I thought you’d say “I told you so…”​

They watched the rain for a while; at least, Hiccup did. Toothless kept his eyes on the pile of rocks, the rocks that rested over a single, deep black tail fin, his mind years in the past as he remembered learning to fly. He was only pulled back to the present when he heard Hiccup say, “You made that, didn’t you bud?”

Toothless nodded, a soft look in his eyes, one that Hiccup was able to read with his usual clarity. Leaning against Toothless, Hiccup said, “I still miss my mother too.” The two of them stayed there for a while, watching the rain and the memorial, until it was at last clear enough to return to the village.

… but you didn’t.​

No. Nonononono. Great Dragon in the Sky, please, no! Toothless bounded forward then, a soft whine lodging itself in his throat as he came up right behind the Vikings. Hiccup had shot him down. He’d ruined his tail, forcing Toothless to rely on someone else to help him fly for the rest of his life. Hiccup was stubborn, young, and had a habit of charging into a situation recklessly if his temper was pushed too far or he felt he was in the right. He’d also broken through Toothless’ fear to show the Night Fury that humans could be trusted, rooting himself deeply in the dragon’s heart over the last five years. He was his best friend.

“Get away from him! You’ve done enough!”

Stoick struck out at Toothless, his voice hoarse and broken, but the Night Fury just ducked under the swipe. Carefully, he nudged Hiccup’s hand with his nose, hoping, no, praying he was wrong, that the last few minutes that were starting to swirl into his head were nothing but a nightmare picking the worst possible moment to surface. But Hiccup didn’t stir. Not a single muscle. Still no heartbeat. Hiccup was dead, and Toothless just knew.

It was his fault.

Toothless felt the strength leave his body right before he collapsed, his nose inches from Hiccup’s hand. A low keening started in the dragon’s chest, building in pitch and volume until all he could hear was the death song. And even then, it wasn’t enough. Everything within the Night Fury was breaking. Hiccup. Great Sky Dragon, what had he done? The Dark Alpha had taken over him; him, the dragon of the next chief of Berk. Didn’t that fact mean anything? Was Toothless just not as strong as he thought he’d been? If he hadn’t… if he hadn’t…

Toothless felt the Alpha enter into his mind again, but the call slipped away again and again, sliding off the edges of his consciousness like water. The dragon priestess had said that the only dragons that didn’t bow to the will of the Alpha were the babies because they didn’t listen to anyone, but Toothless knew different now. The Alpha couldn’t control him, not anymore.

He was too broken now.

There were things you didn’t do. But you put up with me. Loved me. Protected me.​

“Hiccup!”

Astrid had come flying up to them, only to stop dead in her tracks. Toothless kept keening, but he could smell her fear, her uncertainty as she said softly, “Hiccup? Please, Hiccup, answer me!”

He won’t, Astrid. And it’s because of me.

Toothless knew the moment that it finally sunk in for Astrid. “No,” she whispered softly, sinking to her knees. Reaching forward, she took Hiccup from Stoick, fighting hard against the tears that were starting to well up in her eyes. “No, no, no! Odin, please, no! Not Hiccup. Please, anyone but Hiccup! Not him.”

“Don’t leave me…”

Stoick reached out to her as Astrid started crying, rocking back and forth, her face only inches from Hiccup’s as the tears slid from her cheeks. The old Viking pulled Valka in, too, holding both girls and what was left of his family as close as he could.

A soft scraping of talons on gravel reached Toothless, but he was beyond caring. His keening had quieted, but a heaviness was in his chest. A wing extended over his back, and Stormfly’s familiar scent washed over him as she brought her head down to rub his cheek, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t know how she’d escaped the Alpha’s control, but it didn’t matter, not anymore. Toothless knew nothing would ever be the same again, and there wouldn’t be anything that could change it or make it better. He wished he could open his wings to reveal Hiccup safe and sound like he had the last time. He wished it had been him instead of the young Viking that had died. Great Dragon in the Sky, he’d gladly trade his life, take his last breath right this moment if it meant Hiccup could have his life back. He’d failed; Hiccup had worked so hard to make the rest of Berk realize that the dragons weren’t mindless monsters bent on killing everything, and Toothless had ruined it by turning into just that. A mindless monster. One that had killed his best friend.

Hiccup.

Stormfly chirped in alarm, worry in the sound as she sensed the moment that Toothless’ inner fire dimmed and sputtered. Toothless closed his eyes, exhaustion and despair sapping his will to fight. This time, though, he knew there wouldn’t be a boy with a knife there to be an unexpected savior. This time, he knew there really was no rescue. This time, he knew it really was just a matter of time; hours, maybe.

There were so many things I wanted to do with you…

… as we traveled through the years together.​

But you didn’t.​

 

[Story Keeper]

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New Information​

A Few Months Ago

The night air was chilly, letting everyone know that fall was soon to surrender to winter. The stars shown bright overhead, making easy for one to pick out different constellations if they knew what they were looking for; brightening the sky so one didn’t have to strain to see alongside the full moon. Pulling his jacket closer, Tyler glanced down at the corpse of the young woman; a frown on his face as he examined the body. He knew the girl vaguely from seeing her around town, but he didn’t know her name; making him feel guilty for such disrespect.

“Her name’s Aurora, she’d been the host to the Celtic goddess Epona.” Hades commented in his mind, eying the girl with an emotion that Tyler didn’t recognize.

Nodding his head in acknowledgement, Tyler did a quick thing of last rites before he turned to Jack and Snow, both of his friends seemingly disgusted by the sight before them. Not because they hated Aurora or because they disliked Tyler’s job, but they’d all seen enough of the murders. There were definite gashes on the girl’s body, almost as if someone had decided to cut her. Keeping his head down, Tyler listened as Snow asked, “Do ya have an’ idea on whom may hav’ done this?”

Tyler had heard that question before, he’d been getting it ever since they found out that someone had been slaying the old gods. Shaking his head, Tyler glanced back at Aurora and frowned, he wasn’t sure which number this girl was, but he knew that she was at least a double digit, maybe even a triple digit. Absently petting Cerberus’s head, he glanced down at the pit bull and said, “Come on boy, let’s get going. I have a feeling it’s going to be a late night for me.”

Turning in the direction toward home, Tyler started walking away, knowing that it wouldn’t take Snow or Jack long to start following him; Cerberus though was behaving extremely well and following close by his side.

Present

Tyler stood in the middle of the room, ordering Alecto and the other Furies around. Rubbing his forehead, he could tell there was something he wasn’t quite seeing, a piece of the puzzle that would clear everything up. The gods and goddesses from different mythologies were falling, there was something that was hunting them down and killing them. He’d been at the task of finding the killer for weeks now, and he felt like he was none the closer. Looking around at the different stacks of books, he pointed over to the one that was farthest from him and said, “Put Ares over there Alecto, and I want Nyx and Gaia over there in that corner!” he ordered, pointing to the corner directly behind him.

Jack and Snow had been assisting him for some time now, along with the Furies, but it was five in the morning and he was the only mortal from their group that was still awake. Turning on his heel, he paced the clean length of the room again, trying to see if the movement would help him figure out the answer that was staring him in the face. Sensing Hades at the edge of his mind, he waved his hand in the air and said out-loud, “Don’t even bother asking, I’m not going to bed until I find out who’s been killing people like us Hades.”

He heard the irritated huff that Hades decided voice, and Tyler couldn’t believe him. He’d become incredibly stubborn on finding out the answer since it had been brought to his attention. Turning to the Fury that had approached him, he glanced at the book they held in their talons and saw that it said Loki. Racking his brain for information on the trickster, Tyler shook his head and pointed toward the corner that he had Alecto drop Ares in. The loose cannon pile, those that would possibly cause trouble for others but he still doubted that they were the ones offing the different deities.

Hearing the door open, he glanced over to see that Jack had decided to check on him. He threw his blonde haired friend a questioning look; this wasn’t quite the interruption he wanted to have. Walking over to the table, Tyler sank into one available chair as Jack did the same on the opposing side. “Any luck yet with figuring out the murderer?”

Running his hands through his hair, Tyler shook his head. He wasn’t any closer to figuring it out then he’d been weeks ago, when he’d first been tasked with trying to figure it out. Glancing at the fury that got close, he examined the name on the side of the book to see that it said Cerberus. Shaking his head, he motioned to the corner in the left of the room, the one with the pile of mythological beings that weren’t a threat to them.

“Wow, wow wait! How do you know that he’s not a threat to us?”

Tyler didn’t look in Jack’s direction as he answered, “Because he’s not a threat.”

“But how do you know? Just because you’re partnered up with Hades doesn’t mean we’re all safe.”

Growing agitated at that, Tyler watched as the pit bull he’d recently acquired just a few months ago walked into the room. Looking over at it fully, he asked, “Cerberus, can you show Jack who you really are? But do keep it on the small size because of where we’re at.”

The pit bull looked at him and nodded, splitting its head into three and looked at the blonde, startling Jack and causing him to fall of his seat. Laughing a bit, Tyler turned his attention to the five books on the table and tried to figure out where to put them. “Okay, Cerberus is not a threat to us.” Jack said, more than a little startled at the fact one of his childhood friends had the guardian of the Underworld as their pet dog.

“Odin to the pile that I don’t think is a threat; Apophis goes in the pile that would likely try to kill us. Ra in the corner of those that wouldn’t try to kill us, that much I’m positive on.” Tyler ordered, and then he stopped and thought about something. Cursing in Greek, Tyler glanced around to see what all of the Furies were doing and barked, “Get me every book on death related deities that we have, now!”

Tyler heard the mad flurry of wings as the Furies raced through the room, retrieving every book that contained the information he was looking for. A quick glance in Jack’s direction told him that the blonde was curious, but he didn’t dare interrupt in fear of throwing Tyler off of his groove. Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through to the text messages and sent out a massive one to everyone who was in his contact list that was a part of this whole “hosting the gods” mess. Typing up a quick message, he hit send and waited for them to respond as he continued looking through the massive collection of books.

He heard his phone buzz and he glanced down at it, seeing the message that Aiden had sent him he swiped the screen so he could fully read it. It took just a moment to get it pulled up, and he wasn’t too thrilled when he read: “Anubis says to check for those that are either Death or his children; they’re our most likely suspects in the murders. - Aiden”

Tyler heard the string of words from Hades in Ancient Greek, and it did bother him that Hades felt the need to go to that length to voice his displeasure. Noticing the sudden drop in temperature, he glanced over to see that Hades had appeared next to a bookshelf and was rifling through it. Seeing the tension in the lord of the dead’s shoulders, Tyler glanced at Jack and carefully motioned for him to leave for the time being. Standing up from the table, Tyler wandered over to where Hades was and helped him look through the different books.

“It’s not Thanatos, but it’s one of his children. I just don’t know which one it is,” Hades grumbled, continuing with his search of whatever it was.

Glancing at Hades, he wanted to say something but decided against it with the look that was on his friend’s, and father figure’s, face. Pulling out a scroll, he yelped a bit when Hades reached out and snatched it from him. Watching as Hades retreated to the table and unfurled it across the surface, Tyler walked over to see what was on it but was turned away before he was even halfway across the room. “Go get some sleep Tyler, you’ve earned it. I’ll finish searching for the one that has been slaying our kind.”

Feeling awkward because of the dismissal, Tyler muttered a quick parting and goodnight before he retreated to his room; leaving Hades to look over the scroll that he’d gained. Tyler had a pretty good feeling that they'd know the identity of the killer before the end of the week.

And here's another one, this time not from the same universe as the previous stories. Instead it's from the universe of Assassin's Creed, to be specific AC3.

Spoiler Show

Connor and Haytham wind up fighting, and when Haytham was about to kill Connor; Connor instead winds up killing Haytham.

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What Are We Fighting For?​

Connor picked his way through the rubble, his head felt foggy from pain as he tried not to collide with anything. Groaning as he cursed his own luck, the assassin’s eyes scanned his surroundings, and he could felt the tugging at his subconscious that told him the one Templar he didn’t want to face was here. Taking a deep breathe to calm his nerves, he slipped inside the complex and continued sneaking along; being careful to stay out of sight of the guards.

The soft sound of footsteps escaped his notice; he was too focused on trying to make it to the fort so he could kill Charles Lee. Calling out to the Templar, he stiffened as surprisingly familiar voice said, “Gone.”

He felt the barrage that the assailant lead, and he didn’t think through the pounding of his head. Reaching out blindly, he punched the first thing that he came into contact with, and judging from the groan, he’d gotten his father in a rather sensitive area. You won’t be creating anymore of me, huh? He sneered mentally, his head pounding at the thought, causing him to wince slightly. Using the leverage to grab Haytham’s arm and get it behind him, he listened as the older fighter sneered, “Come now, you cannot hope to match me, Connor. For all your skills, you’re still but a boy – with so much to learn.”

Connor wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard a wishful, longing undercurrent to the words. He wasn’t sure though, and he almost cursed himself for going on instinct and slashing at his father with the hatchet that he carried. A rush of annoyance coming to him as Haytham praised Lee, he growled, “He has been dismissed and censured. He can do nothing for you now.”

The nonchalance his father answered with, “A temporary setback. He will be restored,” seriously angered Connor. Supporting himself with the barrel, Connor nearly shouted in frustration as he watched Haytham pull out his sword.

He knew they had different views, but why couldn’t his father see that they were so similar?

He deflected one blow after another, listening to his father belittle him. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt a rush of embarrassment; and while the logic was sound, Connor found he couldn’t just submit to Haytham’s ideals. Finding an opening to protest, Connor took it and did so. He listened as Haytham deflected it with more commentary, with how the people yearn to be controlled; frustration settling in, he spat, “So because we are inclined by nature to be controlled, who better than the Templars? It is a poor offer.”

“It is truth! Principle and practice are two very different beasts.” Haytham snapped.

“No father… You have given up – and would have us all do the same.” His voice softened, but the disgust and reprimand was still clear.

Side stepping just enough to cause Haytham to fall into the crates, Connor felt his head go fuzzy at that moment; causing him to crash to the ground. Groaning a little, he pushed himself up to regretfully finish the job, but Haytham recovered faster; pinning him down and choking him. Connor itched to sink the blade into Haytham as the man ranted at him about why the Templars would never be defeated, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Maybe it was the lecture, or more likely, it was the fact that when Connor looked up at his father he saw himself; just older and more bitter.

Retracting the blade, he moved his hands to Haytham’s wrists and tried to pry the other man’s hands loose. Connor knew that no matter what happened he couldn’t die here. Sure, he was bloodied and exhausted, but he couldn’t die. He could see the same desperation in Haytham’s face, and it just made that question circle back into his mind. Why were they fighting? Why couldn’t they just work together?

“Stop! You’re right!” Connor shouted, and he saw the way Haytham paused, he felt the tension ease on his neck.

Laying there on the ground, Connor felt the rain start falling; hitting him in the face as his mind circled in on itself, thinking and trying to put the pieces together. Resting against the ground, he knew what he wanted was idealistic, but he had to try. He’d lost his mother, he knew he’d be losing Achilles soon, and despite the way his tribe acted, he was on the verge of losing them too; he knew how it looked with him helping the colonists. So, all that he had left family wise was right above him, trying to kill him.

“I-I don’t want to fight.” Connor whispered, he wasn’t sure where this suddenly came from, every instinct in him was screaming at him to fight; but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Leveling Haytham with a calm look, he asked, “Why are we fighting besides you’re a Templar and I’m an Assassin? Why?”

He saw the puzzled look that flashed across Haytham’s face, apparently he wasn’t sure about it himself. He watched wearily as Haytham stood up, blood staining his face and making him look older and more tired than Haytham probably was. He eyed the hand cautiously that was extended to him, and Connor couldn’t help the rush of suspicion that coursed through him. Grabbing it, Connor pulled himself to his feet with a little help from Haytham, stepping back he sized the other combatant up.

He could tell Haytham was as weary as him, especially with what they’d just been through. Hearing a sigh from Haytham, he listened as the older man said, “Let’s try to start over, I wouldn’t mind getting to know you properly. My name’s Haytham Kenway, what’s yours?”

Connor thought about the offer for the moment, before he returned the greeting. He turned to walk away, inviting Haytham along for drinks or something else that he’d enjoy. He felt a little rush of hope, because maybe for the first time in years he could have a happy stretch in his life.

I know that ending is super idealistic, but I still think they could have patched things up and gotten along if things had gone differently somewhere along the lines.

Spoiler Show

I Can Almost Hear Those Hymns​

Henry stood in the middle of the throne room, leaning casually against his throne as he listened to Walter and Phillip talking. They were talking about Kate and the likeliness that she’d pass the tests. He knew he shouldn’t be here listening in, that he should wait to find out like she was being forced to do; and he’d done so in the past, but he couldn’t take it. He needed to know before it got there, Kate was his last bid for existence, and if she failed he was going to fade away. He couldn’t manage ruling the Underworld without a Queen anymore, not that he’d been doing a really good job of it since Persephone had walked out on him.

“I think she’ll pass, she’s only failed one test so far.” Phillip argued, his eyes darting over to Henry even as he addressed Walter.

“And if she cannot pass all of the tests, then she should not be allowed among us.” Walter shot back.

“You would honestly condemn our brother for someone sabotaging them with a drug? Don’t be an asshole, Walter.”

Henry blinked slowly in surprise, he’d never heard Phillip talk this much, let alone go after Walter in such a fashion. A flash of guilt spreading through him, he knew that this stress was his fault. He’d been the one to ask to fade a hundred years ago because he couldn’t handle the loneliness, and they said yes only if he promised to try and find a new Queen before the time was up. He wouldn’t have those two fighting because of him, and so even though he didn’t want to, Henry was about to say something to defend Walter when panicked shouts from another room drew his attention to the doors.

Feeling Phillip’s and Walter’s confusion, he walked in the direction of the doors when they banged open, James and Dylan on either side as Ava hurried in with something in her arms. No, not something…someone.

Kate.

Henry froze as that realization hit him like a ton of bricks. One look at her and he knew that she was dead. He heard his brother demanding to know what had happened, and he felt Cerberus slip up next to him; a whine coming from the dog as Cerberus stared at Kate. Henry couldn’t move though, he just stared at Kate for a couple more heartbeats as Ava told them what had happened; Nicholas had found the killer and had them restrained, but not before they’d killed Kate and thrown her in the river.

He forced himself to move toward Ava, his eyes on Kate’s still form. Reaching the girls, he didn’t say a word as he reached out and took Kate in his arm, her form limp. Sinking to the floor, he tuned everyone else out as he tried to find her. If he could her soul maybe he could call her back, maybe he didn’t have to say goodbye like he had to before. He found it, she was talking to her mother.

I’ll give up my life to save her, if you wish Henry. Diana offered.

He heard Diana’s voice wind through his mind, and he wanted so desperately to ask that of her. Because he knew that Diana wouldn’t be truly gone, it’d just be her current mortal body that would die; and it was already dying due to the cancer that ate away at her, as it’d been doing for the past four years. “Please Diana,” he whispered, both aloud and mentally, he sensed Diana’s mortal body fade before she returned to Eden Manor; but a quick look told him that it hadn’t worked. Kate’s divine blood had won out. She was still dead.

His last hope was gone.

Henry felt whatever was left of him shatter into such small pieces that there was no way he’d recover. He’d left Persephone when she’d walked out on him for a mortal, and while he’d never been the same after that, he’d lost Calliope, he’d lost Ingrid, he’d lost other girls, he’d lost Bethany and now he’d lost Kate. And out of all of the ones that tore at him, it was the first and the last. It was Demeter’s daughters.

He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, and he felt the owner of said hand start shaking him. “Hades, it’s okay, we can try again.” Walter, no Zeus, whispered, the man’s voice was oddly gentle.

A broken laugh clawed its way free. There was no trying again. He promised them a hundred years, and that was up in two years. They couldn’t find another candidate in that time frame, and even then, he’d told Demeter that after Bethany he would try one more time and if the next girl failed he wouldn’t try again. He was done.

Henry didn’t look up as he grabbed Walter’s hand, removing it from his shoulder; he shakily got up to his feet. He couldn’t breathe. Kate had said that she’d loved him, and even though he’d tried not to, he’d fallen for her hard. Possibly just as hard as he had fallen for Persephone, and he’d loved Persephone with his whole being to the point he’d been willing to make himself miserable just to make sure she was happy.

He had been willing to do the same thing for Kate. He caught James’s face and saw the crushed expression on the other deity’s face and for the first time since they’d patched things up, Henry wanted to truly kill James. He saw the way Phillip approached him, the horseman’s own dismay clear on his face as he held his arms out for Kate. If he was thinking properly, Henry would have handed her over, but he wasn’t, so he didn’t. Holding Kate closer to him, he took a step back as he watched the other powerful brother wearily.

“Hades, please, you’re not thinking clearly. Let me take her so---.”

“No!”

The shout was raw and sharp, almost as if shards of glass had slid down and sliced up Henry’s throat. He couldn’t hand over Kate. He wouldn’t do it. He felt Diana’s eyes on him, and his silver ones snapped to her face. A look of betrayal and raw pain was on his face, he felt a surge of anger rush up in him. He’d begged Diana not to have any more children, but she’d disregarded his wishes just as she’d ignored Persephone’s.

A low, rumbling laugh floated through his head. He would have normally tensed, but he didn’t do it. He tuned into the source of the laughter, and he felt the rush of ancient power that flooded over him. It was Cronus. His former master, much like how the rest of the Titans had been. Before he had a chance to ask the Titan what he wanted, Cronus laughed, You foolish little toy. Didn’t I tell you that if you fought you’d suffer heartache? Let me tell you something else, things will only get worse from here. Even if you do fade, it will only get worse.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, he couldn’t listen to Cronus. He knew that the Titan would say anything to get out of his cage. Only for a tiny, traitorous voice to whisper in his mind, 'Isn’t Cronus telling the truth though? You have suffered nothing but heartache since the Titans’ fall.' It stung even more since it was his own voice that said that, and Henry knew it to be truth.

He distantly registered James’s comment, and Henry wanted to throw something against the wall. “Shut up! You all need to shut up!” He shouted, his voice raw as he ordered for silence.

Rounding on Diana and Walter, he glared them down and snapped, “It’s your twos fault, if you two hadn’t been so forceful with Persephone she wouldn’t have felt trapped. She wouldn’t have felt the need for her affairs. And you, Zeus, you are even more to blame than Demeter. If only you had been true to Hera than she wouldn’t have been sabotaging us every single step of the way.”

He knew that only some of his words were true. If they all would have been more considerate of Persephone’s feelings, she wouldn’t have left. Trembling with rage, Henry opened his mouth to say something else when he noticed that he was no longer holding Kate. Looking around to see where she’d gone, he saw that Phillip was standing in the corner with her in his arms. He got ready to demand her back, when Phillip ordered, “Go get some rest brother, you are too emotional to rule properly.”

He stared at Phillip in shock; he hadn’t expected Phillip of all people to order him around. Shaking his head, he took a step forward only to hesitate, what was he supposed to do against Phillip? The sound of the door opening again drew his attention away, he saw Nicholas come limping, dragging someone behind him. He focused on the person that was being dragged, and he felt as if he’d been punched in the gut.

Calliope.

He could tell without asking that she was one responsible, especially since now he knew that she was the one that had been murdering the girls. Cold fury spread through him, and in the blink of an eye, Henry was over there and had the girl pinned against the door, his fingers digging into her throat. He heard the shocked gasp from her as she clawed at his wrist, he wouldn’t back down. He barely registered that Nicholas, Dylan and James were trying to pry him away from Calliope.

“That’s enough!”

The rumble of thunder accented the command, and it succeeded in what was wanted. Everyone in the room paused in what they were doing, expect for Dylan and Nicholas who took the opportunity to drag him away from his sister. He was turned around to face Walter, whose face had darkened to reflect his anger. He searched his brother’s face, trying to get an idea of just how much trouble he was in; not that Henry cared.

“Hades, what do you have to say for yourself?”

He knew that he could plead that the grief had made him rash, and even volunteer to stay quiet for the next several years and only cast his vote when it was needed as a tie breaker. He could do all of that, but that meant facing several more years of loneliness and he didn’t want that anymore. Henry looked Walter dead in the eye, willing his own misery to show through even though every instinct in him screamed at him to conceal his grief and to beg forgiveness for his transgressions. “I wish to step down from being the ruler of the Underworld, hand it over to James and then to fade away. Oh, and if you can make sure that Calliope gets the punishment she deserves that’d be great too.” Henry answered coolly.

He could feel the disapproval in the room; no one had wanted it to come to this. A quick glance around told him that somehow the entire council had gathered within the last few minutes. The twins Ella and Theo stood in the corner with Xander hovering between them and Ava, Sofia was near Diana and getting a rundown on what had happened. Irene was also with Diana and Sofia, all three of them talking about things that Henry didn't want to guess at. He met Walter’s gaze again, and he could see that Walter didn’t want to grant his request. Irritation filling him, he snapped coldly, “The stuff involving the Underworld and me is not up to the council! It is being done, what is up to the council is what is to be done with Calliope!”

Henry knew without looking that everyone had flinched at his words, everyone but Walter.

“Very well, if that is what you believe. Who here votes that Calliope should be exiled for her crimes against the council, the innocent and our brother?” Walter said evenly, but his eyes showed a brief flash of remorse as he looked at Henry.

The only ones that didn’t vote yes were Calliope and Henry, although the only reason he didn’t vote was because he felt he was too close to the situation to judge properly. Otherwise, he would have said yes and everyone there knew it. “Very well, the council has decided that you, Calliope, shall be exiled for your crimes.”

“I also vote that she is forced to spend time with each girl that she has murdered until she has gotten forgiveness from them.” James chimed in, his voice like ice.

Henry nodded in agreement to James’s addition, and it seemed as if several other members of the council agreed too. He glanced back in Calliope’s direction to see that she wanted to protest, but before she had the chance Walter said, “You shall also do as James said. Now, be gone!” A wave of his hand and Calliope disappeared, cutting off her protests.

He saw the way Walter looked at him, and Henry knew that the next words were tearing at Walter even before his voice gave it away. “And Henry, you have attacked one of our former members, which is also treason against the council. Although in light of recent events, it could be excused, I must abide by the roles and exile you from the council too. You will wander the earth as a mortal for the next six months. And while you are gone and if you should pass in the meantime, James will rule over the Underworld.”

In other words, he was being given what he wanted; but if he wanted to wait he was welcomed back. Nodding in acknowledgement, he bowed and said, “Very well, I will abide by the ruling. Although, if we are fated to meet again, I hope it is under better conditions.”

He wouldn’t be coming back.

Henry felt his immortality get stripped from him, leaving him the only living mortal in the house. Turning on his heel, he walked away so he could get a few things; pausing by James to say, “You better look after everyone down there, because if not I will kick your ass for all of eternity.”

He headed to his room, Cerberus and Pogo on his heels. He had just planned on fading away, but in that room he had come to a different conclusion. Maybe he could still have his happy ending. He pushed the door open and drifted around the room, gathering the few things he’d need for the next few hours. The slightly less useful things were a book, a picture of him and Persephone and a picture of Kate.

He put them into a backpack and looked around the room again, trying to think of if there was anything else he needed. He looked over to the dresser and saw the bottle that was there. A sad smile came to his face, he could do this. Walking over to it, he grabbed the bottle and looked at it. Sleeping pills. They wouldn’t quite do what he wanted, but it’d help with the bath that he was suddenly considering taking.

Another glance at the top of the dresser made it where Henry saw the dagger on it. Grabbing it as well, he crossed back over to the bed and dropped both of them into his bag.

A whine from Cerberus drew his attention to the dog, reaching out a hand he wound up scratching the dog behind the ears he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back to play with you and Pogo before you know it. I promise.” He saw the hurt, disbelieving look on Cerberus’s face, and Henry felt ashamed at it, especially when his silver eyes drifted to the puppy that he’d gotten Kate as a gift.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he put the backpack on and headed for the door. He would be back to the manor, and he would be back to play with the two dogs before anyone missed him too much. It didn’t take too long for him to make his way to the river that ran along the edge of the property. A quick look at it told him that it had a fast current today, so if he was lucky it wouldn’t be too long. He knew that they wouldn’t be checking here for at least several hours, they’d be too busy getting ready for the funereal and by the time they looked he’d be gone.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he refiled through the backpack until he found the sleeping pills and the knife. Opening the lid, he dumped several of the pills out onto his waiting palm; it was enough to be an overdose. Tossing them back into his mouth, he swallowed and quickly took several gulps of water from the river. It burned his throat and made his insides feel as if they were on fire. He quickly set to pulling the other things out, arranging them in a neat little circle so he was surrounded by the things that meant something to him.

Blinking his eyes, he hadn’t expected the pills to kick in so quickly. Shakily holding the knife, Henry dragged it across his left wrist first; the blade cutting in so blood welled up to the surface before it started dripping to the ground. His mind was foggy, he wanted to sleep; but he had to finish this first. It took a couple of tries, but he was able to replicate the cut onto his right wrist. Dropping the blade, he watched as it drifted down the river, but that didn’t matter to him now. His task with it was done.

Curling up, he closed his eyes and let the sleeping pills take him away from the land of living. He’d get to see Kate soon because there was no way he was going to be waking up. He would fade, but at least he’d get to spend eternity with Kate.

Spoiler Show

Zeus - Walter
Hera - Calliope
Poseidon - Phillip
Demeter - Diana
Hades - Henry
Hestia - Sofia
Ares - Dylan
Aphrodite - Ava
Hermes - James
Athena - Irene
Apollo - Theo
Artemis - Ella
Hephaestus - Nicholas
Dionysus - Xander

~----------~

Spoiler Show

Tourniquet​

She felt as if she was on fire.

Kitridge leaned against the wall, trying to keep her breathing even as she felt her mind go cloudy. She couldn’t think clearly as the poison raced through her veins. Demon’s Bane. A substance that can kill demons, and for a cambion like her, it could be beneficial by keeping their demon side under control, but it was still lethal if it was gotten in a high enough dose. Someone had snuck a high dose of said substance into her.

A look around the alleyway had her head pounding. Scrambling to her feet, she took a step forward and felt as if her leg wanted to give out beneath her. Stumbling forward a couple of steps, she leaned against the wall as head went fuzzy on her again. She could feel her heartrate dropping, and it scared her. Blinking the spots from her eyes, she looked around and called, “Leyla? Daniel? Where are you?”

She pushed herself away from the wall; she knew she shouldn’t have left the group. She was in no condition to be out by herself. The odd mix of numbness and pounding in her head grew stronger; she knew that this could lead to her being in serious trouble. A look up at the night sky made her feel even worse; she was definitely in over her head. Stumbling a little as her leg tried to give out again, she sunk to the pavement below.

Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against her knees as she tried to think through the fog. She couldn’t though, not when it suddenly switched from fire to ice that was running through her veins. She thought she heard someone approaching her, but she couldn’t make out who it was. She felt the person drop down in front of her and place their hands on her shoulders, judging by the light touch and the whiff of their scent, the person smiled female.

She heard the tones of voice and words that the stranger spoke, but she couldn’t identify them. Shaking her head in answer, she sensed that the girl was like her but slightly different. If they were cambion, they weren’t as strong as her, but it was possible that they were Nephilim, half-angel. Reaching a hand out, she grabbed a hold of their shirt and opened her eyes, looking at them she still couldn’t make out their features as she hissed softly, “Demon’s Bane. I’ve gotten an overdose. Help.”

She closed her eyes against the light, her head reacting to it by causing more pain. Slumping forward, she felt the other girl tighten her grip around her as she crooned, “You’ll be okay, I’ll make sure of it.”

~-~-~-~-~​

This was not Arianne’s idea of a walk in the park. Riffling through her pockets, Arianne pulled out a syringe and placed it into the other girl’s skin. “This is going to pinch a bit, but you should feel better.” She whispered soothingly, trying to keep the other girl from waking up and freaking out. She glanced over her shoulder at the sound of footsteps, they weren’t right to be Mina or Adrian.

Tensing her muscles at the chill that washed over her, Arianne called her wings and grabbed the other girl; taking off into the air she flew for a bit until she found an area safe enough to land with the girl. Touching the ground, Arianne hulled the girl into the abandoned building and laid her down. She felt the demon blood that the other girl had, and Arianne couldn’t deny the fact that she wanted to bolt at the idea of this girl.

And yet, more than that Arianne wanted to save her. Reaching a hand out, Arianne checked for a pulse to try and see just how much of a dose the girl had gotten. A frown coming to her face, Arianne wasn’t sure if what she gave the other girl was enough or if she had to be more extensive with the healing process. Sitting back on her butt, Arianne put her hands in between her knees and started rocking back and forth; trying to burn off some of the nervous energy.

Something told Arianne she had a long night ahead of her to safe this cambion.

I'll see about having the second part up sometime during the week, along with possibly my character of the day. It all depends on how much of an easy time I have on getting the writing done.

 

[Eternal Dream]

I swear, the next one is gonna be happier. Not sure how close this one came to what I wanted it to be, but I think you get the idea, and I hope you can still enjoy it.

Spoiler Show

Legacy
(The Night Angel Trilogy)​

He shouldn’t be here.

Tristan diAngelo froze, his fist half way to the door to knock. He couldn’t do this to her. Not again. Not now. It had been just over three months since he’d left this time (actually, it was ninety-nine days, twenty hours, and eighteen minutes, but who was counting?); he should just stay away from her as of now. He could make it another twenty-four hours without seeing her, couldn’t he? It’s not like he’d be around much longer, anyway. Not when tomorrow was his birthday.

His last day on earth.

“Tristan?”

Just as Tristan had decided he couldn’t ask her to do this, she opened the door, taking the choice away from him. For a moment, he just stood there, drinking her in like she was more precious than water, and he was a man dying of thirst. Strawberry blonde locks curled softly around her shoulders and were a little tousled; he knew it was late, but he hoped desperately that he hadn’t woken her up. Clear grey eyes watched him from behind dark blonde lashes, eyes that grew slowly wider as her mouth popped open into a soft “oh.” There was a slight smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and her skin was gently tanned from being outside. Isolde; his lovely Isolde.

“Izzy, I…”

He fell quiet under her scrutiny, however, and it was all he could to keep himself from shrinking away. Her eyes traveled over him, taking in his dark, unkempt hair, the lines across his face, and how rumpled his clothes were. Her eyes returned to his face, her silver gaze locking onto his golden eyes, and this time, Tristan did glance down, unable to meet her look. It didn’t matter, though; the tiredness that had been hinted at three months ago had developed into full blown exhaustion that he couldn’t hide any more than he could hide the dark flames that crept up his throat from the tattoo that had once covered only the left side of his chest. They’d both known this was coming, but she didn’t know about everything. He’d close his eyes, trying to see her, to use her memory as a balm, and he’d see…

“David, please! Don’t make me do this!”

But David was beyond reason. Blackness spidered across his eyes, turning their golden shade to pitch as he lunged at Daniel, and it was all Daniel could do to block his brother’s blow, to stay strong as he saw the despair in David’s eyes. Daniel knew it was because of Anne; sweet little Anne, David’s sweetheart. The girl that wasn’t with them any longer. Daniel couldn’t imagine what his twin was going through; but then, he thought of Rebecca, the light going out of her eyes the way it had gone out of Anne’s. His blood turned to ice, and Daniel felt a sliver of David’s despair…

Assenjie, laying bruised and broken, Tori holding him close against her chest as she whispered soft words to him…

Rioichi making his final stand against the samurai their father had sent against him, his mind filled with thoughts of Sakura as he prepared to meet his end…

Adrian, facing down their old man himself in an effort to buy enough time for Letty and the baby to escape…

Cuchulain refusing to die anything but a warrior’s death, but even he couldn’t push his dear Emer from his mind, and thoughts of Connla, the son he hadn’t had the chance to know, circled around his mind as his sight dimmed…

Dillon, shell shocked, shy little Dillon, fighting to keep Andrew with him even as Andy bled out…

King Arthur, arriving too late to save Sir Tristan, forced to watch helplessly as Isolde shed her tears for the fallen knight…

“Come inside.”

Izzy’s hand slipped into Tristan’s, bringing him back to the present from the tailspin of memories that weren’t his. They were the memories of his brothers, spread over a thousand years and several continents. All the young men that bore his eyes and his fate, doomed to find their soulmate, only for death to rip them away time and time again. And for what? Just because dear old Dad had gotten spurned by his lover, so he decided to screw over the lives of a bunch of boys that didn’t have anything to do with his rejection? Yeah, that sounded nice and logical. It’s why Tristan was going to stop him.

Even if they both had to go down in the fight.

Tristan followed Izzy inside, his fingers interlocking with hers. Her skin was so cool, almost cold; or was his just hotter than normal? He didn’t have the chance to puzzle it out before they reached the living room. He opened his mouth to ask her, but something else came out instead. “Where’s Rose?”

“Sit down,” Izzy ordered, and Tristan found himself sinking onto the loveseat. He almost expected her to join him. What he hadn’t expected, however, was for her to say softly, “Your shirt. Take it off. Now.”

~-----~

Tristan gave a look like he couldn’t believe her, but Izzy just chalked that up to his fever. He was too warm; he needed to cool off. But she’d also seen a soft bulge under the fabric on his right shoulder and along his ribs. He was hurt, and she wanted to see how bad it was.

After a moment’s hesitation, he pulled the garment over his head, and she had to stifle a gasp. The tattoo had spread in the last three months. It didn’t just crawl up his neck toward his jaw; it extended across his left shoulder and down his arm so the flames licked at his wrists. It also covered his stomach and over his ribs, accentuating just how much weight he had lost. He looked almost gaunt, he’d grown so thin.

But what held her attention the most were the bandages around his right shoulder and the right side of his ribcage. She hadn’t seen many signs of pain, but the white of the bandages was stained through with red. How long…?

“About a week ago,” Tristan said softly, and Izzy realized that she’d spoken out loud. Turning on her heel, she left the room, her steps taking her to the small bathroom down the hall. On her return trip, her arms loaded up with gauze and antibiotic cream, she paused at the bottom of the stairs. Her eyes traveling to the upstairs landing, Izzy whispered a soft prayer under her breath. Rose had just fallen asleep when Tristan showed up, and Izzy prayed that she stayed that way.

Returning to the living room, Izzy dropped her load onto the small table by the loveseat before she picked up a pair of scissors from the pile. Snipping at the old bandages, she asked, “What happened? This looks fresh.”

The softest laugh escaped him before Tristan said, “Yeah, well, I guess that’s a gift from my old man, isn’t it? Used to be that I was a freak because I healed fast. Now, it takes a week for even a minor cut to start closing up…”

Isolde had noticed that before he’d left, actually. She’d gotten so used to bandaging him up, only to have to take the bandages off the next day. As she peeled away the last of the soiled gauze, her eyes found a silver scar across his ribs, and she remembered dressing that wound, too. It had been so bad, she could have sworn she’d seen the bones through the laceration; but two days later, the area had been the ugly pink of a healing scar. Two weeks later, the pink had faded to the silvery-white it was now.

This injury wasn’t anywhere near as deep, but it still bled heavily. Picking up some cream, she applied it to the area, gentling her touch as she felt his muscles jump beneath her fingers. Reaching for fresh bandages, she started wrapping his shoulder up again as she said softly, “You left. Again. You were gone for three months. Three months, Tristan. You didn’t even say goodbye this time; you just took off in the middle of the night. Why?”

“Ninety-nine days, twenty hours, and eighteen minutes, actually,” he said. He was trying to sound cheerful, but his voice fell flat. She just stayed quiet, forcing herself to give him the chance to explain himself. She was trying not to be angry, but it hurt; it hurt worse than the first time he’d left her five years ago, when she eighteen. He’d tried to give her an excuse then; she’d seen right through his bullshit, but at least he’d tried to explain himself. Then he was blown across her path again a year ago, and they’d lost two months as they tried to patch things up; two, precious months to hurt feelings, mistrust, and lingering emotions. For seven months, they’d patched things up, and she’d helped him as much as she could as he raced to beat his family’s curse, as he scrambled to be the one to live past the day of his twenty-fifth birthday. She’d watched the time slip away, how the bruises and cuts didn’t heal as fast as they used to. His temper frayed more easily. How tired he’d get after just a few hours, and how he’d need to rest. She’d been watching him fade, her heart growing heavier with each day, but she hadn’t been the one to give up.

He caved after a moment, and he said quietly, “I couldn’t make you girls go through with watching anymore, Izzy. But at the same time, if I tried to tell you, I… I would have crumbled. I didn’t want this for you, Iz. I…”

“So you ran away. Again.” She hadn’t meant for her voice to be so cold, but the way he jumped at her words said that he’d felt the bite. She knew he was just trying to protect her, but it was too late for that. She’d been having dreams for years now, dreams that had only increased in intensity since he’d left the second time. Izzy had talked to Rebecca and the others; all those who had ever loved Tristan and his brothers. Rebecca had carried around so much hurt since the Revolution, since she’d lost her sister Anne, since Daniel had brought David’s broken body back and laid it at her feet before he’d collapsed. Since Daniel had died in her arms. Izzy remembered Rebecca’s warnings, the same warning that the dark haired girl gave her every time they met in Izzy’s dreams.

Nothing comes from loving a diAngelo but heartbreak and misery. Guard your heart, and don’t fall into that trap.

Sakura found Rioichi’s body after the samurai had torn him to shreds. Letty, normally so strong, tears streaming down her face as she held Adrian’s daughter close to her chest as she watched the ship he’d been on go up in flames. Tori laying a soft kiss on Assenjie’s forehead as the light faded from his golden eyes, her tears falling against his cheeks. Andrew taking the blast meant for Dillon, a smile on Andy’s face when he saw that Dillon was alright. Scar and Willow. Arno and Elise. Edward and Astrid. Malik and Sarah. Arthur and Guinevere. Tristan and Isolde.

Their namesakes.

All the pain across the years, slowly building until it had come to this point in time. She knew the answer, but Izzy still asked softly, “When’s your birthday, Tristan?” Silence from him; no way in hell was she going to accept that. Steel in her eyes, she asked, “Tristan, when do you turn twenty-five?”

“Tomorrow.”

She knew. She’d known it was tomorrow, but she still felt her legs grow week beneath her. They were out of time; they couldn’t be out of time. She was surprised by how even her voice was as she said, “Why?”

Tristan looked up at her, exhaustion and confusion in his eyes. But instead of answering her, he pulled his shirt back over his head before slowly climbing to his feet. Turning away from her, he started walking toward the door, his shoulders tight. He was leaving. Again.

Finding her voice, she said, “Why did you do this? Why are you forcing yourself to be so miserable, Tristan? You keep leaving… Dammit, talk to me!” She lunged forward, closing her hand around his left wrist.

Just as she knew he would, he stopped dead in his tracks. What Izzy hadn’t expected, though, was to feel his wrist quiver beneath her grip. Looking up, she saw his whole frame was shaking. His voice was rough as he said, “I can’t afford to have hope, Iz, not with what I need to do. You want to know why I keep leaving? It’s because every time I’m here, all I can see is what I can’t have. I see the future that should be mine, but it won’t ever be because of the curse. I can’t… I can’t…”

“Mom?”

Tristan and Izzy both fell quiet as the question drifted into the room. Turning around, Isolde saw the little red head standing at the foot of the stairs, rubbing sleepily at her eyes as she said, “Mommy, are you okay? Who you fightin’ with?”

Before Izzy had the chance to respond, the little girl’s gaze landed on Tristan, and her amber eyes grew huge as a baby grin broke across her face. Running down the last of the stairs, she launched herself at him as she squealed, “Daddy!”

Tristan dropped down to his knee, bundling the little girl up into a hug as he said softly, “Rosie; my sweet little Rosie…”

“I told Mommy you’d come back! I told her! You’re gonna stay, right? You promised you’d read me a story; you promised!” The little girl clung to him, and Izzy watched as a whole gamut of emotions flashed through Tristan’s eyes. He wouldn’t tell her what was going to happen tomorrow; Rose was too young to understand.

And yet, it seemed like she did. Jumping up onto Tristan’s knee, she curled up as close as she could to his chest, forcing him to put his arms around her to help balance her. Her initial excitement wearing off, Rosie started drifting off again as she said sleepily, “You’ll read me that story tomorrow night, right Daddy? Please?”

Tristan stood up, holding the little girl close against his chest. Izzy saw the way his eyes softened as he watched their daughter, and she heard the barely whispered, “I’ll try, baby girl. I’ll try.”

Tristan looked over to Izzy, waiting until she’d nodded before he took Rosie back up to her room. She watched him carry Rose up the stairs for a moment, her mind on memories that weren’t hers.

Isolde holding Tristan’s body against her chest, her tears coursing freely down her cheeks. How could this have happened? It was Arthur’s curse to bear, not Tristan’s. Why was Arthur still alive while Tristan had to die? Why? Slowly, she lowered his head to her lap, her fingers still twined through his hair. Isolde bent down, pressing one final kiss to Tristan’s cheek. Behind her, Arthur watched on, giving the young queen a moment’s privacy to say her last goodbye to her knight.

“Rule well, Arthur. Don’t let Tristan’s sacrifice be in vain.”

Arthur looked up at Isolde, surprise widening those golden eyes of his. She returned to stroking Tristan’s hair softly as she said, “Only Excalibur and the Kingsword together can defeat your father, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Find the Kingsword. Find your brother who will become the Paragon who wields it. Don’t let another fall to this curse, whether he’s your brother or the Paladin that serves you. Find the Kingsword, and end this.”

“I will dear lady.”

“Good.” Leaning forward, Isolde closed her eyes, letting her spirit leave her body so she could join Tristan in his rest.

Izzy and Tristan had looked all over for the Kingsword. And yet, she felt as if they’d been looking in all the wrong places. She just didn’t know anymore…

Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Izzy climbed the stairs to the upstairs landing and to Rosie’s room. She was nearly certain she’d find that both of them were asleep. Rosie because she was only four, and it was long past her bedtime, and Tristan because of his family’s curse. The curse didn’t seem to take in girls, a small fact that both Isolde and Tristan were grateful for, but Izzy knew she wouldn’t be happy until Tristan was safe from it too.

Turning into Rosie’s room, Izzy saw that, yes, the two of them had both fallen asleep already. A soft, sad smile spreading across her face, Izzy went to the other side of Rose’s bed. Climbing up beside the little girl, Izzy stretched her arm across her so that she could rest her fingers against Tristan’s arm. Rebecca’s voice spun through Izzy’s mind again, the same words always playing through her thoughts.

Nothing comes from loving a diAngelo but heartbreak and misery. And yet, the only thing worse than loving a diAngelo is watching the hope fade from his eyes before he walks away.

Izzy wouldn’t let that happen. Not this time. He couldn’t give up hope, and neither could she. They still had a day to figure this out. For tonight, they would rest. And tomorrow, no matter what happened, she wouldn’t leave his side. Whatever came, it was worth it, just to see that small flare of hope that had sparked in his eyes when he talked to Rosie. He’d have the future that he wanted, because it was the one she wanted too. This time, the rose and the briar would get their happy ending. Tristan and Isolde.

They’d rewrite the legend.

For any Brent Weeks fans on here, no, it's not set in his Night Angel universe. It's mine.

 

[Peace]

Sorry I haven't been on in a while, but my power was out. But I'm back.

 

[KingdomKey]

Sorry I haven't been on in a while, but my power was out. But I'm back.

Welcome back, InnerPeace. Don't worry about it and there's still plenty of time to write or to hang out here on the forum. You're good~

 

[Eternal Dream]

And here's a couple more for you guys. I think this one actually is happier; at the very least, it's not as depressing. Might have got a bit rambly, though. It kinda ties in with Skitty's KH3 fic a little bit; you gave me the idea, Kit Kat, so thanks!

Spoiler Show

Heaven’s Not Enough​

A soft melody drifted through the air as Terra’s fingers drifted over the guitar strings. Vesper watched the Keybearer from his place on the other side of the fire, the great wolf’s senses alert for trouble, but his body relaxed. For the moment, Vesper watched Terra, his other half, as Terra familiarized himself with the guitar that he hadn’t touched in twelve years, not since he’d been possessed by Xehanort. Vesper could both see and feel the blisters on Terra’s fingers, but the wolf could hear the difference in the sound; after a week of practicing, Terra was slipping back into what he’d known before.

“Hey.”

Aqua’s voice reached the both of them as she entered the clearing. Vesper turned to look at her, the Wayfinder on his collar chiming softly with the motion, but Terra kept his head down, even more intent on the chords than he had been just a moment before. Vesper could feel Terra’s shame and uncertainty, but even so, he didn’t need their connection to sense it. The wolf could see it in how rigid Terra’s shoulders, how he’d barely met anyone’s eyes straight on since Xehanort’s spell over him had been broken three weeks ago. It was in the way Terra tugged at his fringe when he thought no one was looking, pulling on the white locks that used to be the same brunette that the rest of his hair was, and how he kept checking his eyes. He was slowly learning to deal with the flashes of silver when his emotions flared up; the silver was because of his connection to Vesper, and that at least was something he could handle. But the wolf knew Terra was afraid that he’d see orange eyes staring back at him, and that was one gaze he couldn’t stomach if it showed in his reflection.

But even with his uncertainty around Sora, Riku, Kairi and the others, Terra had at least talked to them. He always clammed up around Aqua, and he rarely stayed in her presence for more than a few moments before he found some excuse to get away from her. Sora and Lea didn’t really understand it, but Vesper knew. He could still feel Aqua’s skin beneath his fingers as he lifted her feet off the ground, how her pulse had jumped as she gasped for breath, struggling against his grip; how she’d gulped the air down when he finally released her. Even through the haze that Xehanort had already clouded his mind with, even as he’d forced her to fight for her life as she struggled to set him free, he’d seen the bruises blossom around her throat. The deep purple and blue that pooled and formed into the shape of his fingers and hand, and how it circled her neck…

Sometimes it sucked being two sides of the same coin.

“You know, when you aren’t rushing into something without thinking it through, you tend to go the opposite direction, thinking too much and overanalyzing everything. Just relax, Terra. Okay? Nothing’s gonna happen.” Aqua’s voice was soft, her touch even softer, as she laid a hand against Terra’s arm. He jumped slightly, and Vesper felt his surprise. Terra’s fingers came off the guitar, and he laid the instrument across his lap, running his hand over it as he kept his eyes trained on the thing.

Vesper heard a soft sigh, and he looked over, thinking that it had come from Aqua. Instead, he saw a silvery-blue doe standing just a short distance off to Aqua’s right, and Vesper knew the sigh had come from the doe, and not the Keyblade Master. Vesper blinked, and the doe disappeared, as if she’d never been there in the first place. Aqua had the Wild Magic in her, too, but it hadn’t manifested the way that Terra’s had. Neither Terra nor Vesper wanted Aqua’s Magic too, either. Terra had gone through hell, having his heart ripped up and his emotions mangled, and those tatters had taken the form of the wolf that wound up becoming Aqua’s companion in the Realm of Darkness. They’d needed both Aqua and Vesper to finally shake Terra free of Xemnas. Even now, Terra was still unsure of where his emotions stood, and neither was Vesper. How were they supposed to piece themselves back together? And even if Vesper wanted the doe to have a corporeal form, how could he ask Aqua to hurt herself the way that he’d been hurt?

Terra finally spoke, drawing Vesper out of his wandering thoughts and back to the current situation. “We have to face the Master, soon, Aqua. I know you can sense that. How can you say nothing’s gonna happen?”

“You know, I was starting to think that you didn’t have a voice anymore. I’m glad to see I’m wrong.” The words were soft, but they did the trick. Terra finally looked over at Aqua, a soft, shy little smile playing around his lips. It disappeared almost as soon as it had come, but it was still more than he’d given her since he’d collapsed in her arms three weeks earlier. Sensing that something was still on his mind, though, Aqua said gently, “What are you thinking about, Terra? It seems like you’ve had something stuck in your head ever since you got back.”

Terra picked up the guitar again, his fingers trailing over the strings once more. He didn’t answer her immediately; he was quiet for so long that both Aqua and Vesper gave up on Terra making any more progress that night. So they were both a little stunned when he said softly, “I’ve been thinking about Xehanort. I… I got some of his memories over the years, and their unsettling, to say the least.”

For a moment, Terra closed his eyes, and Vesper got a brief glimpse of a group of young kids; one that looked like a younger Eraqus, a silver haired boy that Vesper realized was Xehanort, and a young red headed girl that he’d never seen before in his life, but Terra identified as a girl named Isis. Just as fast as the glimpse flashed through Vesper’s mind, it was replaced with an image of a slightly older Xehanort holding the girl in his arms, despair shining in his eyes as he tried in vain to mend her broken body.

Unsettling, indeed.

A melody Vesper recognized drifted through the clearing as Terra teased out an actual song from the guitar. Keeping his voice low, Terra said, “I hate him for what he’s done to us, and I don’t think that’ll ever change; not now. But I… I understand his motives, at least a little. I’m not saying he’s right, but… I wonder… If I’d do the same if I was in his position. If I’d chase after Kingdom Hearts for the chance to see someone again, to feel whole, even just for one more day. It scares me, ‘cause I think I might…”

Silence fell through the clearing as all three of them digested Terra’s words. It was a dark thought, and Vesper could suddenly see why Terra had been so reluctant to meet Aqua’s eyes since his return. Their feelings for each other had always been so painfully obvious, and yet they were so subtle at the same time, that it sometimes drove them both to distraction. And yet…

“We have to stop him.”

Terra’s voice was quiet, a calmness in it that Vesper hadn’t heard in a while. Looking over at him, Aqua said, “This isn’t about power again, is it Terra? Please, there’s a better way…”

“It’s not.” Terra put the guitar down, finally turning to look Aqua straight in the eye. Gently, he reached out, wrapping her hand in his as he said, “It’s about keeping you and Ven safe. It’s keeping Riku, Sora, and Kairi from having to live our lives, about getting Isa back to his senses so Lea can annoy the hell out of him again. It’s the possibility of a second chance. I just want to protect you guys, and make things right.”

“Master Terra…”

Terra shook his head, passion at last burning in his eyes again. “That sounds nice, but I don’t care about that anymore. If heaven’s about titles and trickery, forgetting what matters most, than heaven can go on without me. I’ll turn my back on it and leave it behind. I just… I just want the chance to make things right. I just want to pick up whatever I can salvage, and try to make it into something better. I want us to finally have the chance that I messed up so badly.”

Terra leaned forward, placing his lips against Aqua’s, filling his head with the scent and taste of autumn roses and rain. Aqua’s hand trailed up Terra’s arm, her fingers curling into his hair. Vesper turned away, closing his eyes, his senses filled to overflowing.

Silence once again overtook the clearing, broken only by the soft sound of a guitar as Terra started playing again. Aqua sighed, leaning in against Terra as her eyes watched the flames. After a moment, Vesper rose from his position across from them, walking over to the two Keybearers before laying down at Aqua’s feet.

It’d still be some time before everything was worked out completely right, Vesper knew that. But at the same time, he was content. Terra was starting to make the forward progress he needed to become the ally that they needed him to be. He’d be able to control the darkness inside of him, much the same way that Riku could, and there was nothing in heaven or hell that could stop him when he really put his mind to something, Vesper knew that. Even with his sympathy for Xehanort, he knew where Terra’s loyalties truly lay. With his friends. With the future.

Aqua.

Yeah, I'm a huge fan of this pairing. Sorry if it ever feels like I'm shoving them down your throats or that I'm mangling personalities to suite my own purposes.

And here's my item story. Kinda weird toward the end, a little twisted, but I hope you like it.

Spoiler Show

Through the Looking Glass​

“They’re getting closer, Liddy!”

“Alice, run!”​

“Liddy!”​

“Alice, Alice, what happened? Where’s Lydia?”

“Where’s Liddy, Alanna?”​

“She’s gone, Alice. Lydia’s… gone…”​

The girl sat on the floor of her bedroom, her back pressed against her bed, her knees
drawn up as she played with the rabbit on her lap. She raised the toy up in the air, a soft smile on
her face as she sang softly, “Red knights, white knights, marching into the fight. Drink me, shrink me, fill me to sink me…”

“Alice!” The girl sitting on the floor looked up at the sound of her name, and a smile spread across her face as her eyes fell on the other girl as she continued, “Alice, do you want to play?”

“Lydia!” Alice scrambled to her feet, facing the other girl. Both of the girls, twins really, had the same dark hair, heart shaped faces, and deep, sapphire blue eyes. Cocking her head to the side, Alice’s face took on a puzzled look as she said, “What are you doing here?”

Lydia laughed, coming up to Alice so she could tap the other girl on the head as Lydia scolded gently, “Why am I here? You invited me to tea, silly goose. Where else would I go today?”

Lydia’s laugh was infectious, and Alice found herself joining her twin as she giggled herself. Grinning, Alice pointed to the tea table as she asked, “Then why aren’t you sitting at the table, Liddy?”

“Because, it is impolite to be seated at the table without the permission of the hostess, Alice. Haven’t you any manners?” Lydia tapped Alice on the nose, playing at being haughty, but the act didn’t quite stick; there was a good natured, mischievous glint in Lydia’s eye as she danced over to the table to take her seat.

Alice watched Lydia move to her place at the table, at a momentary loss for words. Then, stamping her foot in exasperation, Alice demanded, “You say it’s impolite to sit until the hostess has invited you to, and yet you just did! Stop being so contrary, Liddy!”

Lydia waved a hand in the air, turning back to give Alice another impish grin as the seated girl said, “Life is contrary. What it is, it isn’t, and what it isn’t, it is. Isn’t that right, Monsieur Laplace?”

Alice turned around, her mouth open in surprise, to see the smartly dressed white rabbit standing behind her. He gave her a courtly bow, which allowed her to untie her tongue enough to say, “Mr. Laplace? When did you arrive?”

The rabbit straightened, returning to his full height as he said, “Why, just now, dear girl. Miss Lydia informed me that you were having tea today, and I simply couldn’t resist.”

Remembering her manners, Alice gave a quick curtsy as she said, “Well, it would be delightful to have you, Mr. Laplace. Would you like to have a seat and join us?”

“Thank you, Miss Alice, I would love to.” Laplace extended a gloved paw, and Alice took the offer by slipping her hand into his hold. He walked her to the table, pulled out her seat and held it for her until she had taken her seat before he took his own at the table.

Alice picked up the teapot, pouring some tea into each of the cups. As she put down the pot so she could offer either sugar or lemon, she just noticed Laplace take a sip of his tea and how his face took on a sour expression as he quickly set the cup back in its saucer. Turning her attention back to the rabbit, Alice asked, “Is there something wrong with the tea, Mr. Laplace?”

Laplace gave her what was supposed to be a smile, but came out as more of a half grimace. “While I am certain that the tea is your usual and is actually quite delicious, it seems that there may have been an extraordinary amount of salt added to it this time.”

“What?” Alice asked, aghast. Taking a quick sip of her tea, she waited for the taste of the salt to hit her tongue, but it never did. Alice saw Lydia doing the same right across the table, only to have her eyebrows furrowed in the same confusion that Alice felt. Neither one of them could taste the excess salt that Laplace spoke of. Had he been mistaken?

Laplace looked perplexed for a moment, but then a soft laugh rang through the room, and the rabbit’s confusion turned to exasperation in a flash. Turning his attention from the table, he called out, “Alright, Miss Fluffy, we know that you’re here. Would you kindly join us at the table, or at the very least desist with your pranks? They’re most childish, I will have you know.”

“Oh, come now, Cottontail; don’t be such a dullard.” The purred comment came from just behind Laplace, causing him to jump slightly. Alice and Lydia turned at the same time to see that the Cheshire Cat had just appeared, a large, mischievous grin flitting about her face.

The twins laughed, both because of Fluffy’s appearance and because Laplace had a most pained expression on his face, which caused the girls to laugh even harder. Pointing to the only seat that wasn’t taken, Alice said, “We still have room if you would like to stay for tea, Miss Fluffy.”

Fluffy dipped her head, a pleased look on her face as she purred again, “I think I will, actually. Thank you, Alice.” Fluffy floated over to the offered seat, settling into it as Alice filled her teacup and then offered Laplace a fresh cup.

The table was silent for a moment as each of the companions flavored their tea just the way they liked it, offering the sugar, lemon, or tray of tea cakes to the person next to them as they were done. As Alice removed her sugar spoon from her cup, she asked Fluffy, “How have you been, Fluffy? I haven’t seen you in quite some time, after all. Have you been well?”

Fluffy purred, an amused grin on her face as she replied, “I’ve been quite well Alice, thank-you. I’ve been spending a great deal of time with the Hatter recently, you know. He’s been rather lonely since the March Hare left for the country side, so I’ve been keeping the dear man company to ease his solitude.”

Laplace nodded his head in agreement, looking to the sisters as he said, “It seems as if everyone is a bit gloomy of late. The Dormouse won’t sing her song, the Dodo’s feathers have lost their luster, and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum won’t even speak with each other. Even the Queen of Hearts seems morose; we haven’t had an execution in quite some time.”

Fluffy sipped her tea, although that act didn’t hide the snide tone in her voice as she said, “Well, it would seem that some good has come out of the gray, after all. I assure you, Cottontail, no one will miss the old Queen; why, it’s rather the relief to know that my head can stay on my shoulders, thank-you!”

Lydia looked to Fluffy, trying to interject a reasonable tone to her voice to keep Laplace from attacking the cat. “Miss Fluffy, do you really mean that? The Queen could be difficult to manage, yes, but a glum Queen could still bring troubles of a new sort!”

“Why yes, it can,” Fluffy purred, putting her teacup down. Rising to her feet, she pulled Lydia up as well as the cat continued, “For instance, she could make it the new law of the land that everyone must dance, no matter what their inclination is at that moment in time!”

Lydia released a surprised giggle as Fluffy started dancing with her, but the girl quickly got into it. Alice clapped her hands, delighted to see her sister and the Cheshire dancing together. They spun around and around, going faster and faster. Alice clapped harder, trying to keep in time with their spinning, all three of them laughing like crazy.

Laplace’s paw hit the table with a solid thud, pulling Lydia, Alice, and Fluffy’s attention back to him as he said tersely, “Ladies, enough! This is a very serious matter, and the lot of you are treating it as some kind of joke!”

The wind went straight out of Alice’s sails, and even Lydia had a look of dismay on her face. Fluffy, on the other hand, turned to face Laplace and said in a huffy voice, “Wonderland is falling apart, but that doesn’t mean we have to fall apart with it. If the price of my sanity is that I seem like a capricious, insensitive cat, then the Devil can take my sensitivity and keep it!”

Laplace had a look of thunder on his face as he growled, “I’m warning you, Fluffy…”

Fluffy swept a low bow to Laplace, asking quickly, “Can you stand on your ears, Cottontail?”

The question stymied the rabbit for a moment, giving Fluffy the chance to turn to Alice and apologize. “I’m sorry for the way that the tea party turned out, Alice. Maybe we can try again next time, when tempers aren’t quite as short. Until then, thank-you for inviting me, and have a good day, little one.”

Turning sharply on her heel, Fluffy left.

Alice turned to look at Laplace, aghast. “Why did you make her leave, Mr. Laplace? That wasn’t polite, or very nice!”

Laplace looked over at Alice, trying to appear cool, but he looked more hurt as he said, “These are very serious times, Miss Alice. What isn’t polite is how Miss Fluffy makes light of the gravity of the situation and turns all into a farce. It’s difficult to be civil with that cat when she acts in such a manner.”

“Everyone has their coping mechanisms, Mr. Laplace,” Lydia soothed, trying to make the rabbit see sense. “Fluffy’s is making jokes so Wonderland’s fate doesn’t get to her too much. It’s the way she manages what’s happening, by making the pain into nonsense and turning what is into what it isn’t, you see?”

Laplace’s shoulders remained stiff in defense for a moment longer, and then he deflated, his ears and arms drooping as he said, “I suppose you’re right, Miss Lydia. Forgive me for being so boorish, Miss Alice.”

Alice smiled, saying softly, “It’s alright.”

Lydia looked between the two of them, asking softly, “What do we do, though? About Wonderland, I mean. I miss the way it used to be, and seeing everyone so happy. But at the same time, how do we fix it? I just don’t know…”

“Alice?” A soft voice on the other side of the bedroom door cut Lydia off, causing the three of them to fall into silence as they looked to the door, surprised. Unaware of the surprise of those in the room, the visitor called again, “Alice, can I come in?”

Alice looked to Lydia and Laplace as she said, “It’s Alanna. Could you give me just a moment?” Once the two had given their consent, Alice climbed to her feet and went to the door, opening it to let her guest in.

Alanna stepped into the room, her eyes landing on Alice’s bed for a moment before turning to look at her younger sister. A smile was on Alanna’s face, but Alice found that she couldn’t meet her eyes, not really. Alice kept her eyes downcast, sliding quick glances at Alanna from the side of her eye before looking down again.

The smile on Alanna’s face faltered a little, but she made an effort to stay cheerful as she said, “Good afternoon, Alice. I’m sorry that I’m home so late. Class ran a little long. Have you been doing well today?”

Alice nodded her head, still keeping her eyes on the floor. She hunched her shoulders, suddenly feeling vulnerable.

Alanna lifted her hand, and it seemed that she wanted to give Alice a hug, but she held herself back. Alice watched as Alanna looked around her room again, trying to find something to talk about. Her eyes falling on the tea table, Alanna said softly, “Having tea today? Can I ask with who?”

Alice mumbled softly, “Just my friends.”

Alanna said gently, “Can you repeat that, Alice? I’m afraid I didn’t hear you the first time.”

Forcing herself to speak louder, Alice said, “Mr. Laplace and Fluffy. And… Lydia.”

Pain twisted in Alice’s chest at the same time that she saw sadness arc across Alanna’s face. Her head screamed against it, but Alice let Alanna wrap her up in a hug as the older girl said, “I miss her too.” Stepping back, Alanna let Alice have her personal space as Alanna said, “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything, okay, Alice?”

Alice nodded her head, finally looking up at Alanna. Alanna smiled softly, before turning around and leaving the room.

Closing the door behind Alanna, Alice felt herself lighten up as she turned back to the tea table. Walking to her seat again, she checked the cup of tea in front of the stuffed rabbit before she turned to move past the table to a tall, covered object that sat opposite her seat at the table. As she neared it, her heart beat more wildly in her chest.

Reaching her hand out, Alice pulled the fabric away, revealing a tall, standing mirror. As she tucked the fabric over the edge of the mirror, she thought she saw a flash of a woman with golden hair and acid green eyes, but when she looked into the glass properly, all she saw was her own reflection. Alice raised her hand, splaying her fingers against the looking glass as her double did the same thing. A slight, sad smile quirked at her lips as she said softly, “Why do you always copy me, Lydia? Stop being so silly!”

Her reflection had voicelessly repeated every word she’d said, just as the girl had known it would. But then, a brittle flash passed through the mirror girl’s eyes, and the girl in the room stood with her mouth open as the reflection said softly, “Everyone has their coping mechanisms. Don’t you remember? You know who was the only one to go home. So, why do you always copy me?”

No. No. Nonononono. This couldn’t be. The girl tried to stop the flood, to keep the door on that night firmly shut, but it was too late. The dam had already burst open. Tears pricking at her eyes, the girl found herself whispering one final word as her reflection continued to give her a hard stare.

“Alice?”

EDIT:

Okay, and here's the first part of my murder mystery. Yesh, it is murder, despite the way it starts off. I'll see what I can do about getting the next part up over the weekend, but since I've got work, we'll see what happens.

Spoiler Show

Sell Me a Fantasy
(Spirits of the Divine ch. ??? Enter the Reaper)​

“Do they really think the cotton candy machine still works?”

Juliet spun on her heel, catching Cyrus with a left hook as she did. Her face split open in a bright white grin, unapologetic even as he rubbed his abused shoulder. Laughing softly, she said, “Come on, Cy, where’s your sense of adventure?”

Probably back at the beach house, Apollo remarked in Juliet’s mind, and the girl giggled again as Cyrus shot her a sour look, making it quite clear that he’d heard the god’s comment. Cyrus was super sweet, and she loved him for it, but he could be so uptight at times; having the goddess Artemis in his head probably didn’t help matter much, either.

“Hey, no comments from the Greek gallery, thank-you very much. But seriously, Jewel, why would Seth and Aiden include the cotton candy machine in the scavenger hunt? It’s not like it works anymore; none of this stuff has since they closed the park down,” Cyrus continued like Juliet and Apollo had never interrupted him in the first place.

And the park really was deserted. The Ferris wheel sat with half of its cars missing, the door hanging off of one of the ones that still hung on it. The roller coaster track was rusting, its bright yellow paint faded and flaking from years of neglect, only the dullest of shines visible in the moonlit summer night. The water rides lacked their essential element, and the game booths were full of broken water guns and a few worn, weather abused stuffed animals with white fluff leaking out of torn seams.

It was all kinda sad, really.

So of course Seth and Aidan had decided the amusement park was the perfect place for an impromptu scavenger hunt. Okay, maybe more Seth than Aidan; Seth enjoyed spontaneity a hell of a lot more than Aidan did, and Juliet had a feeling it was because of Set and his whole “god of chaos” schtick. Then again, this idea seemed a little tame for Set, so maybe Aidan and Anubis were behind it, after all.

Those Egyptians have always been a bit screwy, if you ask me.

“No one asked you, Apollo,” Cyrus and Juliet said at the same time, causing Juliet’s green eyes to light up in delight again; even Cyrus’ light blue eyes showed the warmth of mirth. Juliet started humming to herself, leaning back into Cy’s embrace for a moment. Whatever Seth and Aidan had planned, Juliet hadn’t been able to resist the chance for a date in the moonlight with Cyrus; it was nice to see that he hadn’t been able to, either.

Seeming to sense her thoughts, Cyrus leaned down a little, his breath stirring her blonde locks as he breathed, “Lady Artemis seems to be enjoying the evening, too. I haven’t seen the moonlight this clear all summer.”

Just because I am not Apollo doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate young love.

“I think you hurt her feelings, Cy,” Juliet giggled, snuggling in for what was looking to be a good cuddle session.

Don’t mind sis; she’s never been very good at knowing when a guy’s complementing her.

Quiet, brother. Besides, I do not think they are listening to use any longer.

It really did seem that way, too. Juliet tilted her head up, night dark locks tickling her cheeks as she looked up into Cy’s eyes. They held a soft promise, one that needed just a little prodding from her to cash in on. Some detached part of her blessing the fact that she had the Greek god of the sun, medicine, prophecy, and the arts in her mind, she sang out, “Sell me candy, sell me love; sell me heaven, sell me doves. What’s the catch? What’s the cost?”

Picking up on his que, Cyrus replied, “Call me daddy.”

“You the boss,” Juliet sang back, inhaling just as his lips came over hers. If there was a way to taste moonlight, then that was exactly what Cy’s kisses were; moonlight and mint and a soft muskiness that always made her light headed and wanting more. He might not have had much dating experience, but Cy knew how to treat a girl right, and he was a natural born kisser.

Cy pulled away just a little bit, murmuring huskily, “The voice of a goddess.”

Juliet’s fingers tangled in his hair, pulling his lips back to hers as she purred, “Who said you could leave?”

Before their kiss could grow up into the full make out it wanted to be, however, a scream ripped through the night air, tearing the two of them out of their little world and back into reality. Artemis’ presence flashed through Cy’s eyes in a whirl of liquid silver, and Juliet felt Apollo’s golden power swirl in her own irises. Gripping her hand tightly in his, Cyrus bolted, Juliet scrambling to keep up with his long reaching stride.

Five minutes brought them to the gates of the park, and five seconds had them stopped cold in their tracks. Seth and Aidan were there already, their shoulders tight as they looked on the scene in front of them. Juliet recognized the sisters Amy and Teresa. But where was their brother, Sevastion? It was rare to see the triplets apart, partly because of how close the three of them were, and partly because of how close the Japanese deities Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo were that the three of them hosted. But as Juliet looked closer, she felt a sick horror slide into her belly, Apollo snarling softly in the back of her mind.

Amy and Teresa were both collapsed on the ground, and it was Amy’s cries that had drawn Juliet and Cyrus in the first place; no doubt it had drawn Seth and Aidan as well. There were tears on Teresa’ face, but Amy was beside herself, her dark eyes red rimmed and blurry as she stared down at her lap. Following her gaze, Juliet saw Sevastion’s head resting in Amy’s lap. His dark hair was matted, Amy’s fingers red and wet as she stroked his hair; Sevastion was dead.

It wasn’t just the young boy, though. Behind Juliet, Aidan’s voice was a soft hiss, and edge in it that said it wasn’t Aidan speaking, but Anubis. “Susanoo… he’s gone.”

The Japanese god of the sea and storms was dead.

Quick question about the Character of the Day challenge. Is it us just explaining why we like a certain character, or are we writing a story about why we like this character? This is about the only challenge I'm kinda confused on.

 

[KingdomKey]

Quick question about the Character of the Day challenge. Is it us just explaining why we like a certain character, or are we writing a story about why we like this character? This is about the only challenge I'm kinda confused on.

Either one is acceptable. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Eternal Dream]

Okay, thanks. Expect another story with Toothless before the month's out!

And this is the second part for my murder mystery. It turned out kinda different than I intended; Cyrus didn't get hurt, for one thing. Anyway, hope you like it, and I'm gonna try to have my fantasy up before the week's out.

Spoiler Show

Where Forever Dies
(Spirits of the Divine: Enter the Reaper ch. ???)​

Susanoo was dead.

Amy’s crying still echoed around them, despite Teresa’s attempts to calm her. And yet, Seth barely heard the girls. His vision had gone fuzzy around the edges, and all he was able to see was Sevastion’s still body lying in Amy’s arms. Seth’s senses were filled with the tang of copper and salt, with the red slicked across Amy’s fingers and matting down Sevastion’s dark hair. The faintest curve of an injury could be seen reaching toward his eye, as if someone had tried to skin his head.

Seth wasn’t innocent of death. He’d experienced it before; kind of hard not to when your best friend had an Egyptian Psychopomp mucking around in his head. And Seth had seen another like them die as well. There had been one time, about a year ago, that Seth and Aiden had come across a girl, Trista. She’d been in a car accident, and Nemesis, a minor Greek goddess, the one that had shared Trista’s mind, or whatever the hell it was that all these deities called it, hadn’t been able to save her.

Anubis had been granted Nemesis’ permission to guide Trista across into the Afterlife, giving her over into the hands of Hades’ so he could pass judgment on the girl. Nemesis’ presence had faded by the time that Aiden had returned from his trip with Anubis and Trista, but Set had said Nemesis herself hadn’t died; she was just waiting for the moment that another child proved to be worthy of her once again. It was what all the gods had turned to in order to survive.

But Susanoo was dead.

This isn’t possible. Set’s disbelief echoed Seth’s. But unlike the boy, the god seemed to have full run of his mouth. Seth’s inner eye was bombarded by a few of the friendly spars that Set and Susanoo had had over the last five years; both of them had control of storms in their circles, and they’d had a running score on who was the greater god of storms. It was hard for Seth to place just what Set was feeling as the Egyptian rumbled, Susanoo is one of Japan’s strongest. No one could possibly take him down.

Aiden was the one to recover the quickest. Dropping onto his knee next to the girls, he dropped a gentle hand onto Amy’s shoulder. When her dark eyes finally met his, Aiden let as much compassion show in his blue eyes as he could as he said, “I’m sorry for your loss, Amy. Teresa. Sevastion’s safe on the other side, but I know that’s not going to make his death any easier…”

“Murder.”

That shut Aiden up, and at last got Seth’s attention. Noting how Cyrus and Juliet seemed to laser in as well, the four of them listened as Teresa continued for Amy, “Sevastion didn’t just die, Aiden. He was murdered. This injury? It is from a blade of some sort. A coward snuck up behind him, and sliced him open. He never had a chance.”

“Death is never cowardly. When it is time for the soul to be taken, then Death will claim it, no matter what means are needed to bring about the harvest.”

Ice had the six of them rooted to the spot as the voice whispered behind them. Spinning on his heel, Seth just saw Cyrus push Juliet behind him as Aiden rose to his feet, placing himself between the sisters and their guest.

A tall figure stood before them, endless folds of black fabric flowing around arms, legs, and torso until it was impossible to make out if the form was male or female. A deep cowl was pulled low over their visitor’s head, obscuring the face; even the voice had been low enough that Seth couldn’t tell if they faced a man or a woman.

What he could sense was the arctic chill emanating from the cloaked figure, and how straight and tall that figure stood. He could sense no empathy from this being; just a cold, unyielding hatred, one that promised his death was swift in coming. It almost sent a shiver down Seth’s spine; he’d dealt with a few nasty things over the years, but this complete lack of anything human from something that looked human? It scared the shit out of him.

It also pissed him off.

“We face a maiden.”

Cyrus’ voice was soft, but Seth believed him. Artemis was a maiden goddess, and she looked out for the girls; if she was certain enough that Cyrus was speaking her words, than Seth believed it. Still, Set’s dark humor settled over the boy as he chuckled, “So, you mean we’re gonna die at the hands of a chick? That’s humiliating.”

“Why?” Amy had pushed forward, her cheeks still streaked with tears even as her god markings appeared on her face in whorls of red. Beside her, Teresa stepped forward as well, her face and hands covered in the yellow marks of Tsukuyomi. “What did Sevastion do to you? What were his crimes?”

The figure before them raised her right arm, a long staff held firmly in her grip. Turning that hooded gaze on the sisters, their mystery guest hissed, “Susanoo. God of the ocean. God of storms. That was the boy’s crime. Allowing this god to inhabit his mind and body, keeping him alive when he should have faded long ago. That too, is your crime. Amaterasu. Goddess of the sun. Tsukuyomi. God of the moon. Set. God of storms. God of chaos. Apollo. God of the sun. Medicine. Prophecy. The arts. Artemis. Goddess of the moon. Of maidens. Virginity and Chastity. All should have faded long ago, and yet they still burden us. They bring imbalance to the soul of the world. Grief and suffering. The reign of the gods is over, and it is long past time that they all faded.”

Aiden huffed, showing his opinion of the girl’s words. Fire snapping in his eyes, he retorted, “And what about you, soul thief? Don’t you think you should have faded long ago yourself? Who are you?”

That hooded gaze turned to Aiden, and Seth could have sworn her voice gentled as she said, “Anubis. God of the dead. God of burial. Leave us, Psychopomp. I have no quarrel with you, and so I will not harm you if you leave peacefully.”

“Like hell I will. If you’re plan is to murder my friends, then I have a quarrel with you, bitch.” Aiden’s voice was a low snarl, his eyes glowing like a jackal’s, Anubis’ sacred animal. The teen flexed his hand, erecting an earthen shield around Sevastion’s body; there was no saving him now, but Aiden seemed to think the body needed protection so Sevastion could have the burial he deserved.

Seth’s fingers flexed at his sides as adrenaline rocked around the small circle. Power flowed, too. The gods were angry, confused by the loss of one of their own, and that translated to one thing as far as Seth knew. A fight was coming. And by the waves of energy that rippled from their mystery girl, it seemed that she knew it too. With a soft sigh, she hissed, “If that is your wish…”

She moved, a cobra striking its victim. Seth jumped as well, Set pulling him into battle. Seth jumped into her path, barreling into her with his shoulder against her ribs. It sent her sprawling, black robes billowing all around her. It wasn’t enough to stop her; she was on her feet in a breath, but he hadn’t thought it would stop her. What the blow had done was given the others time to prepare.

Arrows went whizzing over Seth’s head, Cyrus and Juliet now outfitted with Artemis and Apollos’ bows and quivers. The girl deflected the arrows, and one landed firmly in the ground. A flash of light burst from the shaft, causing the ground to buck beneath her feet; Juliet’s arrow, infused with the power of the sun.

A chain whipped out, catching the figure’s cloak. Seth recognized the chain to be prayer beads, Amy’s weapon of choice. A large, polished mirror went flying overhead then as Amy yanked back on the beads, forcing the figure to duck or risk decapitation as Teresa’s mirror made a return trip to its owner’s hand.

But their assailant was no slouch, either. Water burst from the ground beneath her feet and from the air around her, coiling around her body with a serpentine hiss. The next round of attacks glanced off this barrier, more flashes of sun and moonlight, before she struck. Water jetted out in all direction, thin, pressurized streams aimed at chests.

Earth rose up as Aiden dropped to the ground, forming barriers to lessen the impact of the water. Most of the force was deflected by the shields, but they still got sprayed in the face with dirt, and a lot of them staggered. Amy went down on her knees.

Seth recovered first, running straight at the figure as a long, thin staff appeared in her hands. Dropping into a skid, he dove under her, forcing her to leap into the air to avoid sprawling on top of him. Leaping to his feet on the other side, Seth’s fingers closed around the six foot length of steel pipe he had been aiming for. Raising it over his head, he blocked her blow just as she brought the staff down to brain him.

Seth pushed up, forcing her away from him so he could scramble to his feet. She came forward again, swinging low at his knees, but he brought the pipe down, blocking her blow once again. Shoving her back, he took a swipe at her side, only to be met with a solid defense. They danced back and forth, trading blows as they sought out holes in the other’s defense, staves a blur of silver steel and cherry red wood.

As he fought her, Seth’s fear and fury mounted. He could sense the death magic in her body. It was so much like Aiden’s, but so different. It felt old, older and more powerful than what Anubis, even Osiris or Hades held in their control. And she was strong too, something that rocked against everything Seth thought he knew. Aiden was a good close quarters fighter when he had to be, but he had no stamina; the death magic had killed it, forcing him to be a long distance magic fighter. Tyler was the same way; if anything, he was an even worse physical fighter than Aiden was because Hades was stronger than Anubis.

Whatever god this girl hosted was even stronger than Anubis and Hades, and yet she was strong. On top of that, she was still fighting him on equal footing, at the point where Seth had learned to recognize when Aiden and Tyler were beginning to tire. Strong death magic, but good physical strength and stamina…

Who the hell was she?

Seth was distracted for just a moment, but it was all the opening that she needed. The tip of her staff came in under his defense, and a twist of her wrist sent the pipe flying out of his grip. Before he could jump out of the way, her staff came around again, striking him square in his left hip.

Pain bloomed in his side, forcing Seth to the ground. His insides were on fire, hotter than the sands of Egypt, hotter than the hell souls faced that failed their trail against the Feather of Ma'at before they were eaten by Ammit. The others had closed in to fight her, Cyrus and Juliet riding on the back of a silvery-white deer, Artemis’ sacred hind, but Seth couldn’t focus on what was happening, or rise to help them. It took everything in him to remember how to breathe.

Seth! Just hang in there! Anubis, get your jackal ass over here, now!

Why’d Set sound so scared? It was just… just a small injury, wasn’t it? Maybe Seth got unlucky, and the bitch managed to pop the joint out or even cracked something, but he was okay. He just… just needed to numb the area…

You’re dying. You’ve got death magic in you, kid. Not much, but you’re not meant to handle it, not like Aiden is.

The staff had the death touch in it?

No shit, Sherlock. Don’t move!

But Seth couldn’t stay down, not now. She wanted to kill him; she wanted to kill them all. And he knew she wouldn’t be satisfied with just the ones here. There were other kids out there with the gods living inside them. Juliet’s baby brother James had Hermes. Tyler and Hades. Jack and Zeus. Snow and Poseidon. Emily, Aphrodite. Nathan, Nut. Shelly, Geb. Rachel, Isis. Rae, Ra. Sakura, Izanagi. Henry, Izanami.

Alanna. Daphne.

Anna. Bastet.

Set’s power surged through Seth as he staggered to his feet, but it wasn’t just the god’s power driving him on. It was the thought of this bitch hurting Alanna and Anna, Seth’s girlfriend and his sister, that pushed the fire down and bottled it up. No way in hell was he going to let her get to them. He might die trying, but the bitch was going down.

Thunder crackled overhead as storm clouds converged, blocking out the night sky, but leaving the moon’s light available to Cyrus and Teresa. Beads, arrows, mirrors, and dirt still flew through the air, but the wind was picking up as Seth poured more and more of his will into his own personal storm.

A shiver ran down his spine at the moment that an electric tingle settled into his fingertips. Raising his right arm, Seth let the wind gather and spin around the limb for a moment, infusing it with both his will and Set’s.

Wind Scythe

Seth snapped his arm down, flinging the wind blade at the cloaked woman. Aiden dove out of the way just in time to avoid being sliced himself, giving the wind nothing to bite into except for their would be executioner.

Black fabric flew through the air as the wind tore through her, taking her left arm off at the shoulder. A grim smile slid onto Seth’s face as he took several deep breaths, his eyes on the arm lying on the ground. But even as he waited for the woman to join the arm, his brain struggled with what he saw. Something seemed off…

“Did you truly believe it would be that easy?”

The words were soft, fury hissing through them. A shiver went through the air as magic traced along the ground, connecting to the fallen arm at the same time that Seth’s brain finally made the connection to what was wrong. Despite the injury, despite there being a huge hole in her shoulder, the girl wasn’t dead.

She wasn’t even bleeding.

The arm went flying through the air, pulled by invisible strings to reattach to the cloaked woman’s body, bare and without the few tatters of cloth that had still lain on it. Without the sleeve to cover it, they could see the ball joints at the wrist, elbow, and shoulder, how the fingers seemed segmented as she flexed them, checking their working order.

Horror thrilled through their group, their eyes riveted on the doll-like arm. An unpleasant suspicion tickled at the back of Seth’s mind, a suspicion confirmed by Aiden as he breathed, “Her body… it’s dead…”

“Only mostly dead, Psychopomp,” she hissed. “That is the curse we bear, those who have the death touch, is it not? To never be as physically fit as those without it. To be weaker, to tire more easily. Or at least, that is the tradeoff you must bear, is it not? But for those that do not have a death god to buffer them from that magic, to have that magic a part of their being from their birth…”

Cyrus blanched and blurted, “What? You’re normal and you can still do this?”

Cold hatred rolled from her as she hissed, “Silence. I am more than any of you could hope to be. You rely on the power of gods for your gifts, but in the end, there is only death. And in the end, it will be only I who remains.”

Seth could see what Cyrus was going to do before he even did it. Unwilling to let him get hurt, Seth gathered power together as he asked, God of storms, right Set? Does that include other natural disasters?

Before Set could respond, Seth stomped the ground with his right foot, sending as much magic as he could into the dirt. The earth rolled beneath them, bucking and groaning. Nearly everyone toppled to the ground. Only Seth remained standing.

And the reaper.

Before he could recover, she flew at him, knocking him into the ground. The force of her attack knocked the cowl from her head, spilling golden blonde hair into his face. Hatred shone, hard and brittle, in her grey eyes as she glared at him. Seth wanted to throw her off of him, but the use of Set’s powers and the death magic creeping through his veins had drained him, leaving him at her mercy. She knew it, too. Softly, she hissed, “You might be good, god of chaos. But you are no Earth Shaker.”

“Then it’s a good thing that I am.”

The girl shoved herself away from Seth, allowing him to finally see that the staff she’d used earlier now had a wicked scythe blade fastened to the end of it. When had that happened?

Aiden was by Seth’s side in an instant, those jackal eyes still there as power glowed around his fingers. Surprising Seth though, was Tyler appearing on his other side, his eyes dark with Hades’ power as death magic spread across his fingers, too.

Looking up, Seth saw Snow and Jack, cold fury in Snow’s stance, his eyes snapping the blue-green of the ocean. Glaring at the reaper, Snow hissed, “Leave. Now. You’ve made yourself and your intentions known. Leave us, Daughter of Death, and seek us out on equal ground next time. Or do you want Death to be known as a coward?”

She bristled at that, snarling in return, “You think you are so smug, godling. But remember this: There comes a time when even gods fear the reaper.” She glared at Snow, grey eyes challenging green, before she spun on her heel, melting into the shadows at last.

“Is she gone?”

Snow’s stance finally relaxed as Jack answered, “Yeah, it looks like it. How’s Seth doing, Ty?”

The glow lasted a moment longer before it faded from both Aiden and Tyler’s fingers. Tyler’s hand probed at Seth’s hip, but all Seth felt was a low, throbbing ache coupled with a massive dose of exhaustion. Seeming satisfied with his findings, Tyler answered at last, “Looks like Aiden and I got the death magic out of his system, but his hip’s a bit weak right now because of an injury there that was the point of entry. He’s gonna have to rest for a while. At least a week, maybe two.”

Jack and Snow walked over then, waiting just a second to let Aiden and Tyler get to their feet before helping Seth to his. Everything hurt, and Seth was tired as all hell, but he still tapped into the link to ask, Hey, Set. You’re still there, right?

Can’t get rid of me that easily. There was a slight laugh in Set’s voice, but it was shaky. Whether that was because Set was tired or for another reason, Seth couldn’t puzzle it out. But even so, as he waited between Jack and Snow as everyone talked for a moment before heading home, a fuzzy thought was stuck in Seth’s head. He knew that girl; it’d been years, but he remembered hearing the story of a girl that had gone missing six years ago. A girl with blonde hair and grey eyes.

Lindsey…

 

[Eternal Dream]

Sorry about the double post.

Man, this one changed like three or four times before I finally finished it. I guess I just really wanted to write this from Raph's point of view. Another one that kinda sucks, in some ways.

Spoiler Show

The Other Promise
(Alliance Chronicles)​

Monteriggioni, Italy, 1638

Are you sure about this, Sal?

Raphael recoiled, backing across the arena until his tail was pressed up against a white marble column. He hissed, spreading dark wings as his eyes snapped a stormy fire. Across from him, Salamander did the same, the older dragon’s ruby scales glinting with a golden edge in the afternoon light. Unwillingly, Raph raised his right hind leg as another pulse of pain throbbed through it from where Sal had scored a strike. Salamander bared his fangs, crimson slicks slicing across the whiteness of their lengths.

Raphael’s blood.

She wouldn’t understand, Raphael. You know that.

Raphael leapt at Salamander once again, the younger dragon’s scales gleaming black with gunmetal lining. Raph snapped at Sal’s right flank, forcing him to rear up, exposing his soft underbelly. Taking the opening, Raph Shifted, trading his dragon scales for the fur of the wolf in the blink of an eye. Sliding between Salamander’s talons, Raphael bit at Sal’s belly, eliciting a scream from the dragon as the wolf scored his claws along the softer scales of his throat.

She was crying, tears streaming down her face, turning to crystal in the moonlight. She never cried. He felt his instincts swelling to the surface, the ones that recognized that she was capable of caring for herself, but still demanded that he protect her all the same, while still giving her her rights as his equal. His heart. His soul. His mate. Alpha. Everything that he couldn’t give her; not when she belonged to another…

“Sal! Raph! Please, stop!”

Raphael slid out from under Salamander’s body just before the dragon dropped to the ground in an attempt to crush him. Scrambling to his paws, Raph’s head came up just in time to meet the girl’s eyes. She was at the outer edge of the ring, her white hair flying around her shoulders in disarray, her blue and gold eyes wide and pleading as she watched the two of them. She would have jumped into the fray to stop them herself, but Leonardo, returned from his mission, held her back, his grip on her shoulders and arms unyielding as his eyes remained glued on the fight, hatred and sorrow swirling through his golden eyes.

Raphael wanted to rip his throat out.

Focus, Raphael. You know what needs to be done.

Raph rolled out of the way just before a thick tail slammed down on top of him. He Shifted again, returning to his dragon skin to fight Sal on even footing once more. Even as that thought entered his mind, a rasping growl sounded in Raph’s throat, a dragon’s laugh. Sal had only his dragon form, while Raph could choose from four out of five of the Shifts that the Alliance took. Even if the dragons were their strongest in almost any fight, a Changeling’s ability to go from pegasus to hawk to wolf to dragon to cat and back again would put even the strongest of dragon’s on shakier ground. Even if Raph didn’t have the cat Shift, he could still beat Salamander without really trying. That Sal had challenged him in the first place…

It was suicide.

Sal, I can’t do this.

I regret needing to ask this of you, Raphael. If I had any other choice, I wouldn’t.

Can’t we at least tell them? They deserve to know!

Leo would never agree to it, and Kisara wouldn’t understand. You’re the only one I can ask this of, Raphael. Please, grant me this last dignity.

He couldn’t do this. Whatever he’d promised Salamander, Raphael knew he couldn’t do this. He raised his head, meeting the older dragon’s gaze full on as he once again took in his opponent’s health. Salamander was old, but he was still strong; he was Alpha, so of course he had to be. But the battle was taking its toll on him. His sides heaved as he breathed, and Raph noticed that he was favoring his right front leg, even if just a little bit. Raph’s own shoulder burned from where Sal had bit him, and his hind leg still throbbed, but it wasn’t anything he hadn’t dealt with before. Sal’s eyes were glazing, and Raph knew that all it would take was just a little more, and the battle would be over. Salamander would be out of his way, and Raphael would be the new Alpha male, two guilds under his control.

He couldn’t do it.

Salamander could sense his weakening resolve. Raphael knew it the moment that Sal’s eyes flashed, green snapping through the dragon gold of his Shift. Sal spun around, his eyes on Leo and Kisara. Raph’s heart jumped into his throat at the same time that he saw the agony in Kisara’s eyes. She knew. She knew that no matter the outcome of the fight, she was going to lose someone she cared for dearly, and she didn’t know which one the loss of would hurt her more. He didn’t need to hear her thoughts, or have her say the words. Her feelings were clear in her body language.

Just like last night.

“Please, don’t go. Don’t leave like Leo did. Please, Raph.”

He couldn’t tell her no. He’d tried so damned hard to stay away, but he just couldn’t. No matter what he did to harden his heart, to let Kisara be Leo’s, he always found himself back at her side after one of their fights, fights that were becoming more and more frequent. And Raph knew what this latest fight had been over, even if he’d been busy with his own guild, and hadn’t seen it himself. Even if Kisara wasn’t entirely aware of the cause beneath the fights. He’d seen the glares Leo directed at him recently, sensed the tom’s hostility and barely controlled hatred whenever Leo was forced to speak to him. They used to be as close as brothers, but it didn’t matter anymore. Even though Raphael tried to respect the boundaries, Leo could sense where Raph’s heart was trying to lead him against his will.

But for Leo to tear into Kisara the way he had the last time, and then walk out on her for three days straight without even trying to apologize? That was a real low move. Kisara wasn’t weak, not by a long shot; she was Alpha heir, set to take over her guild once Salamander chose to step down as Alpha. But Leo was afraid of her strength, afraid because he’d never quite matched up to her, and he’d been breaking her down lately. Raph just knew, if this kept up, Leo would break her. Intentionally or not, it didn’t matter.

Raph wouldn’t let Leo destroy Kisara’s spirit.

A knife slipped between Raphael’s ribs, twisting into his heart as he pulled Kisara into his arms. Her weight against his chest felt right; of all the girls he’d ever held, it felt as if her body had been shaped to mold against his perfectly. She relaxed against him, closing her eyes as his fingers slowly trailed through her hair. All he had to do was keep breathing. He could hold her; he could do this. He wasn’t overstepping any boundaries; he could give her this small comfort…

Lips pressed against his, soft as rose petals, but tasting so much sweeter. Raph went rigid, his grip on Kisara tightening instantly before he backed away from her. Neither one of them said a word for a long moment. For a longer moment, blue and gold eyes watched stormy grey ones, her eyes filled with a haunting longing that made him ache.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

His fingers traced through her hair again, making her look up at him. A knot was in his chest, his heart a tight ball of desire, confusion, loyalties, and wants. Kisara was Leo’s. Raph couldn’t do this to them. But at the same time, his heart kept drawing him back to her, a single word pulsing in time to his heart beat.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

He didn’t know what to do. For the first time in ten years, he didn’t know what he was supposed to do with a woman. He wanted to hold her, he wanted to kiss her, to sooth her and tell her that she was alright, that nothing was going to happen. He wanted to tell her that he’d protect her until his last breath, that he’d stand by her side and not suppress her. He’d let her be strong, he’d let her shine, he’d hold her when she needed someone else to be strong for her at times. He wanted, he wanted…

But he couldn’t.

Before Raph could pull away, Kisara was kissing him again, soft as a butterfly’s touch. For a moment, he sat there, warring with his heart. But then, he saw the tears that still clung to her lashes, and saw the new ones that were beginning to well up in her eyes. His arguments crumbled, his heart finally winning out over his mind. He moaned softly against her lips, then began kissing her back, her taste of rose water and sweet feline filling his senses and making him light headed. As her arms wrapped around his neck, a new word entered his mind, one that, in that moment, he wanted to attach to her, to give her so he could claim her as his own, just as she could claim him.

Mate.

Raphael’s body reacted instinctively, even as his heart shattered. He leapt into the air, landing on Salamander’s back with enough force to knock the older dragon to the ground. Sal roared, thrashing beneath Raph, but Raph could sense the weakness in the movement. Sal was finished; the utter silence of the watching guild confirming that all who watched knew it as well.

Leo would never agree to it, and Kisara wouldn’t understand. You’re the only one I can ask this of, Raphael. Please, grant me this last dignity. Allow me to die the death of an Alpha, and not waste away due to sickness.

Before he could think, Raph’s head snaked down, his jaws clamping around Salamander’s neck. Sal thrashed again, trying to buck Raph off, but he held firm. Raph felt that knife slip between his ribs again as Kisara’s screams rattled in his skull, but he held tight, biting down even harder, trying to end it as quickly as possible. Slowly, he felt the life ebb from Salamander, until there wasn’t anything left.

Thank you, my son.

Raphael was numb. Lowering his head, he released Salamander’s neck, laying the older dragon’s head gently against the ground as he did. Backing away from the body, Raph let the magic go, Shifting back to his human shape with a soft groan of pain. He staggered, almost falling when he was back on two legs; Sal had done more damage to his leg than he’d first thought.

“Sal!”

Raph leaned against a pillar as Kisara and Leo came running up, their eyes glued on Salamander. The man that had taken all three of them in when they were young, abandoned and left to die by their families. He’d cared for them, raising them as his own. Even when Raphael had left for another guild, he’d still been able to count on Salamander for advice, Leo for his brother, and Kisara for her feisty spirit and heart.

Kisara dropped to her knees next to Sal, now in his human form. She pulled his head into her lap, tears flowing down her cheeks as she whispered, “Salamander, please, you can’t leave. Please, please, don’t leave me. I can’t do this. I’m not… I’m not ready. Sal, please!”

Leo reached out a hand to her shoulder, his touch gentle. Even so, Raph saw the way she flinched. The tang of copper and salt still sat on his tongue, and he felt the blood run down his throat every time he swallowed. Exhaustion was creeping in, exhaustion and sorrow. His mind foggy, he murmured softly, “Kisara, I…”

“Go away!”

Fire arced across his chest in four thin furrows, and Raphael realized that Kisara was suddenly standing in front of him. The green of the cat was high in her eyes, unshed tears reflecting in that green as she fought against the Shift. She had her hand raised, ready to strike again, and he could see the way her nails had curved into hooked claws. But then, looking at her, his hazy mind took him back to last night. He could still smell his scent all over her, could still feel her lips against his, her hands as they traced across his body, holding him close…

Don’t leave me.

“Get out of here! I never want to see your face again, Bastard!”

Raph flinched at Kisara’s words. He was a Changeling, and he’d heard the Bastard slur on more than one occasion from others. It didn’t bother him anymore, not really. But hearing it from Kisara, when she’d never used it against him before…

Don’t leave me.

Hatred sparked in Leo’s eyes, but it was the pain in Kisara’s that drove Raph away. Turning around, he forced himself to Shift into his wolf form. Keeping his right hind leg as far off the ground as he could, he limped away.

For a moment, Raph turned back to look one last time. Kisara cradled Salamander again, rocking back and forth as soft sobs caught in her throat. Leo held an arm across her shoulders, holding her tightly as she cried. The knife found its home in Raphael’s heart as he turned away and started limping on again, Kisara’s voice still echoing in his head. “Sal, please. Don’t go... Sally, please… Daddy…”

“Don’t leave me.”

And quick question. Skitty, Lunar, and I were planning to team up again for the partners story. Is it okay if we did it as a three shot? Whatever the answer, thanks in advance.

 

[ChibiHearts249]

I'm still trying to do this, btw XD
I'm not putting it off, I've just been storing things elsewhere as I pick at them. Been working a lot lately, and tonight I was filming and editing my first vlog so I'm pretty nervous. Having trouble thinking at the moment.

 

[KingdomKey]

And quick question. Skitty, Lunar, and I were planning to team up again for the partners story. Is it okay if we did it as a three shot? Whatever the answer, thanks in advance.

Of course! Go for it!

@Chibi: Best of luck with your first video! And it's okay! We get busy with all sorts of things; so no worries. If you post anything else, I look forward to it and if not, then no trouble at all. ;3

 

[Annoyance]

Alright, so I've been working on this on and off for far too long, and I'm under the impression that a writer never really finishes their work, they just have deadlines. If I don't stop myself, I'll miss the deadline for this.

So I'm posting the first part. I've created a second scene that continues it, and I still haven't decided on a good solid title, but I'd like to post it and go back to it later if possible.

This is an entry for Character of the Day. The character I wanted to focus on was Vivi, primarily in the universe of Kingdom Hearts as he didn't really have any spotlight on him that I felt he deserved. So I wrote up a scene I felt made him feel a little more important. At the very least, I wanted to give him purpose, much like the Final Fantasy VII and VIII characters have.

anyways here i'mma shut up and let you read and give me all the crap and critique away.

Spoiler Show

Sora and his friends casually walked through the safe haven of Twilight Town, searching for any clues on the mysterious town, and anything that could help them on their journey. Jiminy sat patiently on the boy’s shoulder, scribbling away at his small journal, with all the information that they’ve collected thus far. Donald and Goofy followed closely behind, their large feet slapped on the ground loudly with each step. The town was quiet and relaxing, painted with a calming orange glow. The boy dropped his defenses easily in this town, and strode by with his hands resting behind his neck, occasionally brushing his spiky hair.

Passing by the shopping district, they rounded a corner into an alleyway and Donald quacked loudly in surprise, his tail feathers ruffled. The others stopped in their tracks and squinted towards the direction Donald was glaring at, now holding his staff in attack position. Whatever he saw now quickly hid behind stray garbage cans and lumber, loudly knocking a few down in the process. Jiminy gasped in Sora’s ear and dove into the hood of Sora’s jacket to hide. Donald turned to Sora and Goofy and pointed one feather up to his beak.

“Shhh!” he said as quietly as a duck could possibly sound.

“You think it’s a heartless?” Sora asked out loud, ignoring Donald’s angry stomping.

“I dunno,” Goofy responded, “I didn’t get a good look at ‘im.”

“Will you two be quiet? I know it was a Heartless!” Donald quacked back.

Jiminy clung onto Sora’s shoulders to hold himself up, “We should probably get closer to see, Sora.”

Sora nodded and they began to quietly creep towards the piles, glancing in every direction to make sure it wasn’t an ambush or a trap. He could hear Jiminy flipping through pages in his jacket hood, whispering to himself, “I thought this part of town was safe? Did I not pay attention? Oh dear.”

Sora wasn’t sure, but he led his friends on down the alley to confirm any suspicions. Soon enough, they reached the pile of wood, and whatever was hiding behind it was still there, he was sure of it. The creature would probably jump out soon enough and attack them; he readied the Keyblade, just in case.

But then it didn’t happen. Instead, they just heard quiet sniffs and cries. Sora raised his hand to his friends to hold them back so he could investigate. They of course ignored him, and they turned around the lumber pile peeking one by one. But what they saw, looked more like a child, half Sora’s height, in large clothes that didn’t fit them, and their entire head obscured by a very large ornate hat. The child’s back was turned to them, continuing to cry, shaking.

Sora put the Keyblade away, and softly spoke, “Hey, it’s alright, we aren’t gonna hurt you.”

The child jumped in surprise, most likely not aware of the four behind it. Slowly, it turned to them, but its face almost looked like it didn’t exist, and was completely black aside from two glowing yellow eyes. The child’s face made everyone jump back.

“I knew it was a Heartless!” Donald yelled, readying a spell.

“Nooo!” the child cried, backing against the wall. Slowly, their arms raised up to the group. “Stay back!”

“Did the Heartless just speak?” Goofy asked Sora. Donald stopped his spell momentarily, surprised.

“Y-yeah.”

Jiminy was almost excited. “This is strange, they’ve never used actual speech patterns before!”

Sora decided to move closer, but stepped directly on a broken twig on the ground, alerting the small creature in front of them.

“Don’t hurt me!”

A small, orange ball of energy now spiraled from the creature’s hands. The gang before him took a step back in surprise before the ball flew lopsided into the pile of wood beside it, soon making the brush and lumber catch fire in a quick blaze. The gang shouted and jumped back from the pile, readying their weapons in defense.

The creature itself ran towards the trio, away from the blaze, knocking past Sora, seemingly to run away. It was fast, but managed to trip on its baggy pants, falling to the ground, but scrambled back up to begin sprinting again.

“Stop!” Sora yelled, casting a quick spell from his Keyblade, and purple mist enveloped the creature. The creature stopped in place mid-run as the mist faded. Donald casted a strong ice spell towards the fire while he had the chance. Ice began melting away with the flame, slowly putting it out.

They slowly caught up with the still creature, carefully surrounding it, ready for anything. The creature shook in place.

“It’s strong, huh?” Goofy said.

“It’s trying to escape the spell, Sora, we have to attack it!” Donald loudly said. The creature seemed to start shaking more as Donald readied an ice spell.

Sora crossed his arms and furrowed his brows in deep thought. It only took a brief moment for him to release the spell. The creature immediately fell to the ground, face first.

“Sora! What are you doing?!” Donald jumped angrily in frustration.

“I don’t know, just go with it.”

He put his Keyblade away and walked up to the creature. It reacted again in fear, stumbling backwards away from Sora onto its backside and holding up its arms to cover its face. It began to cry again with small sniffs.

“Hey, are you okay?” Sora asked, holding his hand out to the creature.

“Don’t just ask it!” Donald was almost turning red with anger.

The creature looked up, eyes glowing, with no visible sign of tears, a mouth, ears, or anything. Just pitch black darkness and glowing yellow eyes, but they somehow still managed to look scared.

“Y-yes,” it muttered.

“It really did speak!” Jiminy jumped onto Sora’s shoulder to get a better look.

“I’m not an ‘it!’ I’m not a Heartless! I’m just a k-kid!”

“Sounds like something a Heartless would say!” Donald thumped his staff threateningly on his other wing.

“But, Donald, I thought they didn’t speak?” Goofy asked him. Donald grumbled and immediately became quiet.

“Well, if you’re a kid, what’s your name?” Sora softly asked, trying not to alarm it again.

“V-Vivi,” he stuttered.

“Why’d you attack us?” Sora tilted his head to get a better look at Vivi’s eyes.

“I didn’t want to! I was scared! You all cornered me and new people always think I’m those things you kept talking about. The Heartless? I don’t even know what they are but I know I’m not an enemy! I didn’t do anything wrong!” Vivi twisted his hat down and tried to hide his face again with it.

Sora stood up straight. “Well, you’re pretty strong, for a kid, Vivi. I’m impressed.”

“W-what? Really?” Vivi lifted his hat up to look at Sora.

“Yeah, you stood up to three people ganging up on you and even managed to almost break free from my spell earlier.”

“No one’s said that to me before. Seifer and everyone just calls me a coward, just a nobody,” Vivi looked down at his feet, and twiddled with his gloves.

“Why d’ya hang out with them if they’re mean to ya?” Goofy asked.

“Everyone else is scared of me. Seifer and everyone let me join them and I thought I’d become stronger being around them. They protect me, but…” he trailed off, staring at his hands.

“Poor kid,” Jiminy said with deep sympathy.

“Why don’t you hang with us for a while, Vivi?” Sora asked.

“What? You mean, I can join you guys?”

“Yeah! A strong magic user like you would be useful!” Sora grinned.

“Hey! I’m right here!” Donald remarked.

“A strong defensive magic user,” Sora corrected with a wink towards Donald. The duck wanted to oppose, but quickly decided not to.

“Yeah, you won’t attack everything that moves like Donald, here,” Goofy laughed heartedly with Sora and Jiminy.

Vivi looked down at the ground again, still as a statue as he gathered his thoughts. “I don’t know if I’d be much help, but I’d like to try,” he said affirmed with a solid nod, his hat sliding slightly forward. He instinctively grabbed it to firmly twist it back on.

so ye

 

[KingdomKey]

Vivi - Character of the Day

I really enjoyed reading this and the way it ended on such a adorable note. Vivi is a good kid. Sora feels like a big brother by trying to boost his confidence or letting him tag along with them. They make a good combination and the chemistry speaks legions for itself. C: Donald amuses me to no end because of the way he attacks everything resembling a heartless. Reminds me of KH1. Good job overall, Annoyance.

 

[Audo]

Question --

For an entry could we write something from an existing story/characters of ours so long as the story itself is all new writing? For example I have a fanfiction series and I had an idea for scene much later in the series that would work perfectly for one of the entries but I haven't actually written any of it yet. Would that be permissible or does it have to be completely new writing, not even working off existing ideas/characters/etc?

 

[Annoyance]

Vivi - Character of the Day

I really enjoyed reading this and the way it ended on such a adorable note. Vivi is a good kid. Sora feels like a big brother by trying to boost his confidence or letting him tag along with them. They make a good combination and the chemistry speaks legions for itself. C: Donald amuses me to no end because of the way he attacks everything resembling a heartless. Reminds me of KH1. Good job overall, Annoyance.

I'm so glad you liked it! I really wanted to try to emulate Sora while reflecting on the relationship Zidane had with him. Zidane and Sora are kind of similar in that aspect.

Donald I'm not going to lie was a lot of fun to write, and I tried my best to show the dynamic of the crew, including Jiminy, who I feel even the game forgets he's there a lot of the time.

 

[KingdomKey]

Question --

For an entry could we write something from an existing story/characters of ours so long as the story itself is all new writing? For example I have a fanfiction series and I had an idea for scene much later in the series that would work perfectly for one of the entries but I haven't actually written any of it yet. Would that be permissible or does it have to be completely new writing, not even working off existing ideas/characters/etc?

YES YOU CAN DO THIS! YOU HAVE MY BLESSING! XD

I'm so glad you liked it! I really wanted to try to emulate Sora while reflecting on the relationship Zidane had with him. Zidane and Sora are kind of similar in that aspect.

Donald I'm not going to lie was a lot of fun to write, and I tried my best to show the dynamic of the crew, including Jiminy, who I feel even the game forgets he's there a lot of the time.

You definitely showed that with Sora. If I were to play Dissidia again, I'd probably see the similarities between the two.

Now that you mention it, I'm really impressed you gave everyone within the crew a role! Jiminy definitely doesn't get as much screen time as he does in KH:ReCoM. Overall, I'm happy you enjoyed writing it and Donald a lot too.

---

Important Note:

Do you guys feel like the contest should be extended further instead of ending on July 31st? Somebody brought it to my attention about it and thought it was a weird date to end it on. I know a few of you have been shooting out as many entries as possible to make the time crunch. So, I'd like to hear what the rest of you think about it. :3

 

[Eternal Dream]

I'd be okay with an extension. I've got just a couple more I want to write, but school and work make it a little hard to find the time sometimes, and the one I'm writing right now is difficult because the characters don't want to stay pinned down.

 

[Annoyance]

So to my understanding, it's alright to make a focused thread for our entries? I'd like to get more feedback on it since this is the first thing I've posted in... God maybe 5 years.

 

[KingdomKey]

So to my understanding, it's alright to make a focused thread for our entries? I'd like to get more feedback on it since this is the first thing I've posted in... God maybe 5 years.

Of course! Everyone else has made threads for their own entries by now. So go for it. =D

@Dream: Then I'll probably extend the date and sent out PM's to hear what others think as well. Thanks for letting me know what you think about it!

 

[KingdomKey]

The verdict is in: I'll be extending the end date on this contest to September 1st. Which I find reasonable enough because, it gives all of you an extra month to get entries out. And some time off writing before the next seasonal writing events start; such as Halloween Contest or NaNoWriMo. Hard to believe how fast the year has gone by already, huh? :3