Wrong Decisions and Betrayal [ISOS_Xavi]

01:40 PM

Wrong Decisions and Betrayal
A private roleplay between wifey and wifey

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The History of the Land
The Conflict of Yuua and Rashmaal

Our story focuses on the Kingdoms of Yuua and Rashmaal, the two most powerful Kingdoms in the Domesque territory. Both nations hold strong ties and alliances with the lands to their south and both are able to boast of the strong military. Yuua holds the strongest Army of the lands while Rashmaal holds the most powerful Naval force. Even with such strong forces, the two nations were at peace with one another and life was good, however, fifteen years ago, that all changed.

During those days in the past, the late King of Yuua still lived, happily married with his wife. The man was boisterous, loved his wines, and was a flirt. During a party held within the palace Oul, the main palace of the Rashmaal nation located in the port city, the King unknowingly started all that has happened up to present day. The King of Yuua, amongst one of his wine-laden nights, made a pass at the Queen of Rashmaal, attempting to woo the woman away from her husband and Kingdom.

Enraged by what he heard, the King of Rashmaal forbid anyone from the Kingdom of Yuua within their borders again. The gates to the Western Forest were closed tight, guarded constantly to prevent the Western Kingdom from entering. In response, the Kingdom of Yuua also closed its gates, angered by the fact that the other King would take such a thing so seriously.

The two nations fought each other for years as the closed gates also shut the other out to valuable supplies and important trade routes. They were insistent on obtaining that which they lost, even though coming to an agreement or being peaceful about the whole matter wasn't an option. The lands outside these two Kingdoms suffered as well. Though they were not closed off to trade like the Kingdom of Yuua, the tension was started to affect them all.

With the war taking up so much of his time, the King of Yuua would find himself falling ill. With the water routes from Rashmaal closed off, the castle medics were unable to gather the needed supplies and the King would pass some years later. The Queen, though she mourned for her husband, quickly wed another mere months after her husbands death. The man despised Rashmaal and did not seek to end the fighting, but to increase the number of troops that they had out there.

Yet, even with all the war and combat that plagued the northern part of the continent, there would be a bit of happiness that would at least be brought to the Kingdom of Rashmaal. Five years before our current timeline, the King and Queen of Rashmaal would give birth to their first child, the first Princess of their lands. The Princess seemed to ease the pain of fighting for the people of her Kingdom and it was said that she could bright even the gloomiest of days with her smile.

Five years later would bring us to the present days of Domesque. Though the fighting continues on, the major battles seemed to have slowed over the last few years. Some believed that this was due to the two Kingdoms growing tired and wary of fighting.

The King of Rashmaal decided he would look about the rest of his lands to see how the fighting had harmed them. With his daughter insisting, the King took his family towards their border with the forest to a city that hadn't seen the torrents of war since the birth of the Princess. It would be there that our story begins....

Akiyama

SPOILERX

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▬▬▬▬▬ AKIYAMA RONIN SAIKI • • • • •
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ as played by Xavi

"No matter what life has in store for me, I will carve out my own path and create my own destiny."

PHYSICAL

Nickname Aki or Akiyama
Title Guardian of the Princess of Rashmaal

Age Twenty-four. Many people mistake the male for being of an older age because his face is often adorned with a stern look, which tends to make him look about thirty-five.
Gender Male
Orientation Straight
Hair His mid-back length black hair has a bluish-purple hue to it and is more than often worn back in a messy pony-tail (but he does tend to let it hang freely).
Eyes His face is donned with a beautiful set of blue eyes that resemble a slender almond shape.
Build Akiyama's nose is a bit too angled and tends to look large in comparison to other noses (but it does suit his face, nonetheless). His slender lips are often drawn tight or seen with a serious expression; however, they do know how to bare a grin and smile. He has a rather muscular build, but is on the slender side of the bulk scale. Akiyama's shoulders, thought broad, tend to reflect those of a woman; most assume this is due to his petite looking size.
Skin tone Hailing from Dromskra, Akiyama was blessed with pale peach skin.
Height He stands close to six feet tall.
Weight Tends to take on the skin-and-bones weight option.
Handed Left
Body markings N/A
Scars None worth noting

MENTAL & EMOTIONAL

Personality Akiyama is a rare breed of man as he operates on a different wavelength. His patience levels are through the roof and, despite being a male, he is an excellent listener. Akiyama often has a calm and insightful approach to situations. He has a good mind that seeks out the truth, making him a pursuer of knowledge. His perfectionist nature goes nicely with his rational mind. Although he is often filled with emotions and expression, there are times where Akiyama can come across cold and emotionless. Because of this, people might not know the individual as well as one might have hoped.

He tends to pride himself in being cautious upon entering foreign situations and will often take a back burner to heated conflicts. He's not really one to add fuel to a raging fire.

Some would say he's a very poised male. He has a friendly aura that often lures people to him. His charming antics and charismatic ways are highly noticed by others, which is why he is fairly well-known. Akiyama is also highly involved and very committed. His unwavering loyalty and devotion to helping others is what most people enjoy about the male. He is not only compassionate, but he is also understanding and very kind. He appears to have high tolerance levels and will often befriend and root for the underdog. He believes that everyone was born with a purpose and that their destiny can be altered based on the interactions of those around him or her.

Despite his gender, Akiyama pays great attention to detail. He's the type of guy that will remember your birthday and will ask how your family is doing. He is, in simplest terms, people-oriented. This trait is often enhanced by his selfless desire to help others. He has a huge capacity for responsibility and is always ready to assume more than his fair share of the work load. He's generous and, because of his devotion to helping others, Akiyama often represses his own needs. This inability to show aggression for himself causes a bit of resentfulness in the lad, as he hates his inability to turn people away. Although these qualities are often good, people can take offense to his constant sense of devotion. Meaning, not everyone likes how much Akiyama interferes with their personal lives. He also have a very strong presence and can come across as possessive.

Although Akiyama is driven to help others due to his sympathetic and affectionate nature, the male does have his not-so-hot downfalls. He can become too attached to people, which causes emotional flare-ups. He also tends to be one of those non-stop talkers when he is surrounded by people he knows. Akiyama also has a tendency to fail at meeting deadlines. He also, at times, can appear very self-centered, though this is not usually the case. The male is also terrible at adapting to new situations. He enjoys following a very straight-forward and well-followed path. He prefers systematic and diplomatic approaches to life and will shy away from spontaneous interactions. He's also horrible at making decisions as he fears he might offend someone if his desires to not align with those around him.

All in all, Akiyama is a well-tempered and friendly guy. He has a big heart and doesn't seem to understand the meaning of the word "no." He is driven by those around him and can appear to be very submissive, heeding no attention to his own desires or needs.

Mortal Alignment Lawful Neutral; he believes in honor, order, and tradition. He does not, however, believe in good or bad. He fights for what fits into his code of ethics.

Motivation Akiyama's only motivation is for the kingdom he serves. He fights for what Rashmaal wants and he will do all he can to protect the princess.

Fear(s) Failure is his biggest fear. As much as he hates spiders and snakes, the man would rather face those than lose of fail. The fact that the princess has escaped him is causing him much grief to the point where he is almost depressed.

Likes Traveling, nature, and tranquil places. Having a mother who was very spiritual and a father who traveled, Akiyama has learned to embrace both sides of life and find comfort in those things. He loves of the outdoors often keeps him outside far longer than he probably should be. Thankfully, the man does not burn easily.

Dislikes Snakes and spiders. He has never liked such creepy things. He is also not overly fond of anthro-people. His disliking links back to his youth when he was wrongfully conned by a fox-anrtho-human. To this day, he doesn't enjoy trusting them for he knows they're still half-wild.

Strengths

He has the ability to keep his tongue still even in the most offensive situations.
He has the ability to be selfless and self-sacrificing.
He is very protective of his knightly kin.

Weaknesses

Tends to lure in too many romantic partners, which causes more drama than he wants to handle.
His selfless and self-sacrificing antics tend to get him in trouble.
His emotions, though a great gift, will more than likely bring about his demise.

SPIRITUAL

Faith & Morals With his mother being a temple-woman, Akiyama grew up learning to love the sky gods. He often prays for rain, sun, and wind. He does not shun other's beliefs on religion and he has no qualms with saying prayers to other god's, even if they are outside his own scope and region.
Virtues Akiyama shows restraint in all that he does for he knows that if he become too quick or selfless, he will lose his honor and justice. Charity, or sacrifice, is another virtue of the young guardian. The day he went to sacrifice himself for his friends is the day he received the heaven's great gift. To this day, he still believe in generosity and helping those in need. Akiyama has diligence and patience, knowing that he cannot win by rash or quick-tempered movements. He knows that to succeed, he needs to stick to his ethics and be at peace with what happens around him. His loyality is fierce and his bravery knows no bounds. This man has little envy and pride within him.
Sins Lust is his demise, at least it is what caused him to lose sight of the princess. Other than that, Akiyama does not have many other sins to his name.

ATTIRE

Head/Neck He enjoys wearing a white scarf around his neck, as he loves the feeling of the piece blowing in the wind. This scarf is sometimes accompanied by a white headband. The scarf and headband are his trademark looks, as is his purplish hair.
Chest/Back Akiyama prefers to don himself in the color black. He usually wears a black kimono, but, from time to time, he will slip into a black button down long-coat with form-fitting black pants. As one might assume, Akiyama rarely wears his armor, as he finds it too stiff to fight in. Opting for his kimono, he prefers the looser outfit, which tends to allow the male to conceal more weapons. He also admits that it fits him better than the suit of armor, commenting that the shoulder pieces are too wide for his feminine frame. (A complete set of his outfits can be found here.)

WEAPONRY & EQUIPMENT

Katana. There is something wonderful about this sleek and majestic weapon. It's speed is perfect and its grace is without limits. It's able to do what man cannot and it extends his reach so that he can attack foes from more than an arm's length away.
Weapon 2 Scythe of Destiny. This magical weapon was bestowed to him the moment he became selfless in a feat to save his friends. The heavens sent down this magical scythe, which grants him with the ability to use magic. Only when holding the scythe can he conjure up magic.
Magic Empathy - This is the ability to discern what others are feeling. Precognition - This is the ability to see things before they occur. Scrying - This is the ability to locate objects, people and places by use of a pendulum, detecting rod, mirror or crystal. Psychometry - The ability to learn about the past of an object by touching it. Mediumship - Ability to see and communicate with the dead (i.e., ghosts).

COMBAT ABILITY

Rating System
[Perfect] - [Excellent] - [Above Average] - [Average] - [Below Average] - [Poor] - [Terrible] - [No Skill]

Hand-to-hand [Average] -- Never one for using fists, Akiyama has the average skill of a fist fighter. He will always opt to use his weapon, so he sees no reason to perfect this skill to a mastery level.
Melee [Perfect] -- Why he can fight with a sword or a scythe, how can he not be a master at melee attacks. Not to mention, he is a knight and a trained warrior. If he were not a true master in the art of fighting, he would not be worthy of protecting the young princess.
Ranged [Poor] -- Akiyama has no experience with ranged attacks and simply cannot assault from on far. He has never used a bow and he does not know how to throw knives or blades.
Magic [Above Average] -- His magic use is fairly easy to understand. When he wields his scythe, he can use magic. Those his magic is blessed by the heavens, it is nothing superior or capable of crippling men or mountains. It is just mere magic that can aid its user.
Mounted [Average] -- During his youth, Akiyama spent some time on horse and he does know his way around the creature. Though it is not his preferred mean of attacking, he is more than capable of using his scythe while on a horse.

BACKGROUND

Kingdom Affiliation Born in Dromskra but now serves Rashmaal
Marital Status Single
Occupation Knight and Guardian of the young princess
History
Family & Birth
Akiyama was the first born child to Blackwell Aras Allen (Arallen) and Saiki Kiyomi Riva (Kiva). Arallen hailed from the city of Redbend and grew up as one of two children. When he was of the proper age, Arallen set off as a traveling merchant. His journeys and trading brought him around the globe, which is why the male has such a soft nature to him (these traits were passed on to his son). It was during these travels that the male encountered a woman in Dromskra that would forever change his life. As if destined to be together, the traveling man decided to ask the woman if she would accompany him on his journeys. Sadly, the woman declined as she was not interested in living such a free life. Kiva was born and bred a priestess as she was the only child to a pair of priests. Pleased with her decision to stay in her homeland, her parents allowed the woman the honor of finding her own lover, as they knew she would put her faith in the gods above the reckless nature of the lustful.

As the years went on, Kiva soon realized that her heart longed for a man that lived life to its fullest. A man who was kind and passionate in all that he did. Kiva was a selfless woman who sought out a compassionate and friendly man. To her luck, the perfect man came wandering into her life. When she discovered it was Arallen, she immediately told her parents. Although they were not pleased that she would not marry a more educated man, they were thankful that Arallen had kept his body pure and only wanted to court their daughter. This act, to them, was noble and it earned the young pair a great many blessings.

About a year later, the two were wed. A little less than a year later, they had their first child of three. Akiyama had his mother's pale features, but his father's dark hair. As his mother would say, "Akiyama was born with his father's kindness and free-spirit, but he got my good looks and selfless heart." His family picked the name Akiyama as it meant mountain. They knew that there son would grow up to be as strong as a mountain and that he would always reach for the sky above him. He would be a dreamer and a free-spirit who had a strong base and great moral core that would keep him grounded and safe.

The Saiki's other two children are Rika (Saiki Riley Malika) and Garth (Saiki Garth). Rika is ten years Garth's superior and Garth is only eleven. Rika is currently engaged to Kaegin (Morri Kaemon Gin).

Birth to 12 Years
To some, Akiyama's life might have been deemed boring and worthless. To others, Akiyama's life helped mold him into the man he is today. But neither set of opinions matter, as it is solely up to Akiyama to determine whether or not his childhood had meaning. As one might expect, the male is thankful for all that he had been brought up with. He learned love, friendship, and kindness from his father. His mother blessed him with the lessons of sincerity, knowledge, and reliability. Between the two, the handsome lad learned of courage, hope, and light. Neither one of his parents were considered sinister people. Each were both very loving and were blessed by the gods for their faithful devotion.

Being the first born to a pair of inexperienced and youthful adults, Akiyama was more or less a lesson that new parents were forced to learn. Though they asked a great many questions, the two knew not everything could be asked. Learning was a crucial road of the adventure of life.

If one were to ask Arallen and Kiva if they would do again, they would simple laugh at the foolish question. "Though our son was not given the best of the best, we did what we must to keep him healthy, safe, and strong. We regret nothing for we know that he turned out to be better than we ever would have imagined. He's our blessing and we love him dearly, no matter." As assumed, the Saiki's love for their son was deeply rooted. Nothing, not even his somewhat rebellious attitude, could sway them away from their happiness. He was their pride and joy, as were his younger siblings.

As a little tot, Akiyama was brought to the temple with his mother. There she would preform her duties (she's a Stormbringer) while her son played happily in the pen beside her. Everyone used to comment on how sweet he was. Someone even mentioned that he might, one day, grow up to be a politician of sorts. He was personable and very friendly, two traits that were rare to find in a newborn. Not only was he kind and sympathetic, but he was also peaceful and without screaming fits. A smile was always on the baby's face and, even if he got hurt, he would immediately resume to giggling. People often commented that Akiyama was "The happiest little baby I have ever seen. He's quite the blessing."

As he grew and became a little man, Kiva realized she wouldn't be able to keep a watchful eye over him anymore, as Rika had come into their life. Arallen, who had always had a soft spot for kids, decided he would bring Akiyama on his travels. Despite Kiva's scorn, the father and son pair set out to explore the world and open their eyes to a new sect - The Journeymen. Having a knack for understanding people and a thirst for knowledge, Akiyama became a great tool in his father's belt. Whenever the boy fell silent, Arallen would know something was afoot. If the lad was gay and giddy, the male would know they were in good hands.

Having Akiyama with him also proved to be a great lure to getting people to the cart for trading purposes. Being quite the chatterbox, Akiyama was always telling people stories about his travels and his mother's kind touch. He would give a friendly wave, which would draw interested merchants near. It seemed as if Akiyama was doing all the work. Arallen would always joke that he was blessed to have such an inviting child at his side. Together, the pair was able to rack in more than enough money.

Able to return home from about an eight month long trip (Akiyama was about eight at the time; he started traveling with his father around the age of six), the boys were greeted with open arms. Kiva and Rika had grown close and were overjoyed to see the boys were finally here to stay. Akiyama was enrolled in a priest school (the same on his mother belonged to), but his father pulled him out less than four months later. Kiva, believe it or not, agreed that the priesthood was not Akiyama's calling. Together, the two searched for a teacher that would suit their son. This search brought forth an educated man by the name of Morri Hanzo Aiden (Hazen).

Hazen was a new face in Dromskra. He came with one other person, his son Morri Kaemon (later Morri Kaemon Gin or Kaegin) who was the same age as Akiyama. As if destined to be together, Akiyama and Kaemon become the best of friends. The two were always together. They would play together, learn together, eat together, and even sleep together (in a nonsexual way). Hazen took on the daunting task of educating the boys, who, at this time (they were about nine) were more than rebellious and wanted nothing to do with learning. So, Hazen bribed them with an art. They were to lean under him until the age of fourteen and, all the while, they would learn the ways of the sword. Enticed by such an offer, the boys said yes in a heartbeat. To them, this was just a game. Little did they know that the sword would prove to be more than just a toy, but that tale is for later on.

12 Year Friend
As one would assume, the two became the best of friends. Akiyama and Kaemon became an inseparable pair. Wherever one went, the other was sure to follow. Learning together under a great teacher, Hazen (he was actually licensed teacher), the children began to get a grasp for the ways of life. Although Akiyama tended to catch on faster than his comrade, he never let this show. To Akiyama, equality was everything and boasting was nothing more than a sin. He was not a haughty man and, because of this, Kaemon would poke fun at him saying things like "You could really be something better, but you always stay back. You'll be the finest friend yet!"

Having a mother as a Stormbringer and a father as a Journeymen, Akiyama decided he would seek out a sect that would not upset either parent. It was actually Kaemon who suggested he and his friend follow the Order of the Fist and Shield, knighthood. Approving immediately, the two begged Master Hazen to teach them the ways of this group. Sure enough, and without a waver, he taught the two boys of a code unlike any other. Fighting for the weak and defending the underdog. These were the laws Akiyama and Kaemon decided to follow.

Months turned into years and, in no time, it was Akiyama's 12 Year Birthday Eve. Kaemon, who is about a month younger than Akiyama, was granted the privilege of giving Akiyama a new name. Since their first meeting, Kaemon had picked the name he was to bestow upon his best friend, Ronin. As he presented the name to Akiyama on the day of birth of his friend, he explained its nature and said, with tears in his eyes, that "Akiyama is, without a doubt, a wandering warrior whose blade has no fear of defeat."

Although Akiyama does not use this as his primary name, it does not mean he does not adore it. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Not wanting to tarnish the name or allow anyone else the honor of calling him Ronin, Akiyama only allows Kaemon to call him by the name. Akiyama states that it is this way because, "Gin and I share a special bond. I cannot allow anyone to come between us. Though born apart, we are brothers at heart."

No less than a month after Ronin was given to Akiyama, Akiyama was presented with the task of naming his friend. Gin was given to Kaemon because, according to Akiyama, his friend had a "heart of silver." Morri Kaemon Gin would eventually decide to be referred to as Kaegin; however, Akiyama still calls him Gin.

Obtaining a Holy Weapon
By the age of fourteen, Akiyama had become the man he was going to forever be. His father took him about and showed him the horrors of life as well as the joys. A woman was produced for Akiyama, but she ended up dying of a heart attack before Akiyama was able to engage in any pleasurable activities (because of this, he is fears loving people and is still a virgin). Although his day was more than awkward, it did have its perks. When he was allowed to pick but one gift, he, without hesitation, choose the sword that belonged to his great-great grandfather.

Upon picking the katana, he was enrolled in the militia and was to serve and protect his people. Put under the wing of a handsome young looking man by the name of Blackwell Cai Ilynn (Cailynn), Akiyama was to start his new life as an apprentice to a master swordsmen (twenty-two at the time). Already having a basic grasp for fighting (he had Hazen to thank), the male flew through the ranks and eventually landed as Cailynn's right hand man. Kaegin who, too, chose the military lifestyle, worked right along Akiyama, serving as Cailynn's left hand man.

The three were eventually removed from the militia and were sent on to patrol the nation. Cailynn, Akiyama, and Kaegin were more than excited to accept their duty to serve and protect. Embracing the new job, the eighteen year old Akiyama set off on a journey that would forever change his life. His strength, thought not the strongest muscle-wise, laid in his heart and charm. His speed and nimbleness were further enhanced as were his witty tactics. Although he was not the brawn of the group, he was, without a doubt, the well-spoken and keen leader.

Four years had passed since the three had become patrol men. From time to time they would escort caravans, assist hunters, and even aid the wary back toward the cities. Although they were all kind men, they had earned themselves a nifty little title as the "troublesome trio." Granted, their troublesome ways weren't because they were ill-hearted or evil. No, they were troublesome because whenever an enemy came into their path, they (the enemy) would beg for mercy. The three swordsmen were, without a doubt, peerless in their time of reign. And, because of this, Kaegin and Cailynn grew cocky, but Akiyama always kept his pure heart and continued to fight for the less fortunate.

It was one day when Cailynn and Kaegin were sparring that trouble came knocking. A man with golden eyes were leading a group of men toward the city they were to protect that evening. He took down Kaegin without breaking a sweat and Cailynn fell just as easily. Akiyama, who was away getting water, came flying back to see the male swing his blade to deliver the final blow and take Kaegin's life. Panicking, the male thrust his blade toward the enemy, knocking the spear from the yellow-eyed fiend's hands.

Heart racing, but in the right place, Akiyama told the man that he would be his opponent and to pay no attention to his fallen comrades. In a final act of compassion, he demanded that his friends seek out help. Reluctant to leave, the two eventually limped off. They would later run into an army and beg with their lives that the troops follow them.

While the two were busy working up a rescue mission, Akiyama was holding his own ground. At the age of twenty-two, Akiyama had become one hell of a swordsman and even surpassed his superior, Cailynn. Fighting tooth and nail, Akiyama finally took a blow that knocked the wind from him. Just as he was laying down to rest, the white light that was before him seemed to call out to him in a godly sounding male's voice.

Do you believe you can create your own destiny? If so, grab on and allow me the honor of changing your fate.

Confused, but eager to save his friends, Akiyama reached outward and seized a long shaft that had a curved blade attached at the end. With his sword nowhere to be found, the lad popped onto the balls of his feet and prepared himself for his last stance. It was almost as if luck was on his side because the swing that came next seemed to cripple the enemy. Just one blow and they were defeated? It was unbelievable. Jaw ajar and body broken past the point of mending, the handsome fellow collapsed in a pool of his own blood. When he would finally come to, he would be in the arms of Kaegin and Cailynn with a scythe strapped onto his hip.

To this day, he does not recall the fight he had and still does not know how he is alive. He remembers greeting death and he finds it hard to believe that his soul was saved. Nonetheless, he is thankful and, to this day, he fights in the name of Alos and the ever-changing destiny that lies before man. Although he is the holder of the Scythe of Destiny, Akiyama does his best not to use the weapon as he sees it as being arrogant and boastful. He only fights with the scythe when his blade is no longer able to fulfill its duty.

Quest for Knighthood
Compared to the rest of his life, this is, by far, the easiest aspect of it yet. Upon awakening from his comatose state, Akiyama was greeted by a group of people called the Rashmaal Royal Guard. Kaegin and Cailynn were then shooed from the room for they were no longer needed. Sad to see his friends go, Akiyama was able to force a friendly smile on his face as a way of saying thanks.

With the two men gone, Akiyama's attention fell on the Rashmaal Royal Guard. More specifically, protecting the young princess of Rashmaal. He embraced his duty with honor and promised he would never let the princess fall or fail.

Still, to this day, he still hates the fact that he was so easily taken in to serve as a knight for Her Majesty. It didn't seem fit. It was almost too easy and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Nonetheless, Akiyama had become an official member of the Rashmaal Royal Guard. Serving for only two years, the young adult is still trying to understand his role in the grand scheme of things. He often wonders if there is more to being a knight than being hand-picked due to the ability to wield a sacred weapon. With his heart set on a quest for knighthood, Akiyama spent the first two years of his service proving his worth to the Queen. Although he is not the strongest member of the group, or even the fastest, or even the most beautiful, Akiyama likes to believe that he is just as important as his kin. His destiny, he believes, is up to him and he will carve it as he sees fit.
Theme Song xxx

OTHER

Extras Akiyama has never once thought about the princess in a romantic way. Their age gap is too great for him. And besides, she's a princess. He's just a guardian. They can never end up together. Still, he's not overly fond of the princess marrying the Prince of Yuua. Akiyama feels that the princess could do better and secretly hopes that she can escape her arranged marriage.
Theme Song Confess My Love by Leah

Hannibal

SPOILERX

Quote:

▬▬▬▬▬ Hannibal Yestin Nancarrow • • • • •
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ as played by Xavi

"Mom always told me that a man is measured by his actions. Too bad gold is worth more...."

PHYSICAL

Nickname Hannibal, Hanni, or Hann
Alias as Hooded Archer Halibal Hanvard, a mix of Hannibal and Halvard's names
Title Bounty Hunter

Age Thirty
Gender Male
Orientation Heterosexual
Hair Brunette with near-black roots with a light amount of stubble (facial hair)
Eyes Blue, though depending on lighting and the colors he wears, they can become tainted with shades of gray, green, or even teal
Build Mesomorph; broad shoulders, muscled arms and legs, narrow hips, minimum amount of fat. Excels in strength, agility, and speed due to medium structure and height. Easily able to gain muscle and strength due to metabolism.
Skin tone About as white as they come
Height 5-foot, 10-inches
Weight 165 pounds
Handed Right
Body markings On the inside of his right wrist is an "X" mark with an arrow tip. It symbolizes clan of hunters who are sworn to protect. Hannibal took up this tattoo when he joined a man by the name of Halvard Fylker on his quest to his kingdom from darkness and violence.
Scars He has a small scar right below his left armpit that he acquired thanks to Halvard Fylker. Best friends since their youth, the two went their separate ways after a scuffle that involved Hannibal taking an arrow to the rib cage. Thankfully, it was just a flesh wound, but it did leave a nice grazing mark.

MENTAL & EMOTIONAL

Personality Hannibal is one of those guys that you either love or you hate. He's charming, suave, and popular. When he enters a room, people can't help but turn heads and stare. He's handsome and he knows it. He's rich and he shows it. Hannibal's silver tongue and smooth moves often cause women to swoon and men to roll their eyes. Men tend to hate him; women often love him. The way he walks shows off his arrogant grace, but in a way that almost makes him appear human. His smile can light up a room and his sad eyes can make strong men cry.

There is absolutely nothing shy and meek about Hannibal. Loud, rowdy, obnoxious. Center of attention, flirtatious, bad boy swagger. Yes, he has all those traits at his disposal. But aside from being a player, Hannibal is also very honest. Almost bluntly honest. He's also prone to being 'butt hurt' over things that involve trust and respect. If someone betrays him, Hannibal is the first to fall off the face of the earth and avoid you. He hates being let down and he hates getting hurt.

On the flipped side of the coin, Hannibal isn't the kind of guy to betray you. He'll always be there for you, whether you want him to be or not. His best friend is Halvard Fylker and he would die for the man. Hannibal has spotted Hal money and has gone out of his way to protect the guy. The bond between the boys is stronger than a friendship -- it's brotherhood. Hannibal is the kind of guy to cancel a date just for the sake of being there for a friend in need. He's a fierce friend and one hell of a guy, when he wants to be.

Although Hannibal isn't shy, he does have a bashful smile when he's around close friends or someone he's very interested in. He almost comes across humble and love-struck in such instances. He'll trip over his words and look like a fool when overwhelmed with emotions of love and joy.

Mortal Alignment Neutral -- Sometimes it's hard to stay neutrally good in a "man kills man" world.

Motivation Even though his mother has moved on, Hannibal still fells obligated to please her, more so now that Halvard sacrificed his life on Hannibal's behalf. Her standards of being a man differ from his but he's hoping that she's watching and smiling down on him. Hannibal wants nothing more than to make his mother smile and be proud of the man he's become; he wants to became that man on his own terms, with his own rules. With Hal gone, Hannibal has stepped in to take over his friend's role. Never again will someone die because someone didn't care.

Fear(s) Losing his best friend, Halvard. Not necessarily by death, either. Hannibal would be crushed if anything came between their friendship. If he thought losing his mother was bad, losing Halvard would be a million times worse as Hal has been with Hannibal since the beginning. Sadly, since Halvard's passing, little to nothing scares Hannibal anymore.

Likes Sexual activities, gold, red meat, gambling, drinking, and hanging with Halvard. Hannibal is all about having fun and doing such fun with good company.

Dislikes Losing, blood, and murder. He cannot stand losing a bet or money. Furthermore, he hates blood and murder. Witches aren't something that bother him, but the idea of a human dying pushes him right over the edge. The last time he saw a dead body he curled up into the fetal position and rocked himself into numbness for five hours.

Strengths

Wealth. No matter what happens, Hannibal will always have money. Perks of having a rich ancestry. About five generations back worth of money is all within reach of Hannibal. This money allows him to have top-notch gear and weapons. It even allowed him to get his signature customized scythe.
Charismatic. Without a doubt, this is Hannibal's best strength. He can talk to anyone and almost everyone will fall in love with him. Even if you hate him at first, you'll probably walk away wanting to be the guy. He knows just what to say and, if he doesn't pull it off, he'll just laugh it off. He's very well-versed in the world of talking and pleasing.
Sexual deviant. There is no one better than Hannibal, or so he claims. He knows exactly how to please a woman and he can last for hours.

Weaknesses

Spoiled. Probably one of his greatest weaknesses is that he had everything. He could have become anyone or anything, and instead he chose to screw around and goof off. He's bright, but not as smart as he should be for someone with private tutors. During his youth, he didn't believe in learning and often got out of it. Nowadays, he regrets his childish mistakes and wishes he had spent more time looking at books than breasts.
Emotionally driven. Some would argue that this is good, but it isn't. Hannibal is the first to break down and weep when things get too hard. He's easily frustrated at his lack of knowledge and handiness. He's all about the people and the relationship, which angers his employers. People think he's all about socializing and incapable of lifting a finger.
Showoff. When it comes down to it all, Hannibal is a showoff. He's flashy and flamboyant. He flaunts his looks and riches. Because he does this, opportunities escape him or he misses the boat. He's been known to fail a job for getting too involved with the women rather than the witches. Because of this, people say he's irresponsible and reckless. But in the end, they call him a showoff because they know he doesn't need the money he can earn from hunting witches.

SPIRITUAL

Faith & Morals Religious has never been something Hannibal has followed. Does he believe that something watches him from above and keeps his mother and friend company? Sure, but he's not sure who it is. On occasion, he'll talk to the heavens and ask the clouds how his mother and friend are doing. Other than that, that's the extent of Hannibal's religious views. As far as morals go, he's never questioned things. He does what he likes and if it feels good, he'll do it even more. He indulges in money and lustful activities, but that's about it. He's fiercely loyal when it comes down to it. He's very accepting and open, not judging people for their past or present. Hannibal believes in redemption and second chances. The hunter is also very familiar with heartache and betrayal, but knows that man can be corrupt and irrational. He's also willing to give someone another try and often looks for the good in people. He would rather spend money on a dying philanthropist job than gamble it away for rich thugs. Sure, he keeps a lot of his riches, but Hannibal has supported over a dozen soup kitchens and children's homes. His mother was all about not for profit work and Hannibal has picked up her kind habits.
Virtues Some might say Hannibal is temperance in his ways. He knows restraint and when to pull back from jobs. He's wary of his actions, especially after turning over a new leaf. Persistent beyond belief, Hannibal refuses to back down or quit. Why, not even death can stop him from fulfilling his dreams and wishes. He will succeed in pleasing his mother and Halvard. He won't take his dying breath until he does. Alongside that, Hannibal is rather kind and enjoys friendship. He trusts without prejudice, unless he is betrayed. Even so, he does give people second chances, hoping that they won't hurt him again. Because of this, Hannibal has become quite a patient man. Yes, he has his reckless, spur-of-the-moment antics, but for the most part, he is pretty calm. He would prefer to find a peaceful solution than seek out violence. Forgive and forget means more to him than full-on vengeance.
Sins Greed is, without a doubt, Hannibal's biggest downfall. He's a rich kid who lusts for even more gold than he already has. Ideally, he wants to build a castle out of gold and he will take on any job, crazy as it might seem, to continue earning riches and jewels. Another sin on Hannibal's list is his lust for all creatures with breasts, assuming they have a pretty face and can hold a decent conversation. Wrath isn't really his style, as Hannibal shuts down around hateful conflict. He isn't envious either, especially after Halvard's death. He used to be a jealous man, but when his friend gave himself up to spare Hannibal's life, Hannibal decided it was time to change. Hannibal is a tad prideful, but he's far from having sloth-traits. He's motivated and willing. By no means is he gluttonous.

ATTIRE

Head/Neck When Hannibal is just being himself, he doesn't like to wear anything on his head or neck. Only when he's being the Archer will he wear a hood to mask his face. He also wears a mask over his eyes to further hide his identity.
Chest/Back Hannibal wears a cropped shirt of chain-mail atop a simple black cotton shirt. Essentially, he wants to protect his heart should someone ever try to stab him there, hence the chain-mail. Over the chain-mail he wears a simple black and purple cotton shirt with a lace-up collar. Hannibal owns a black leather jacket that he sometimes wears if it's cold or raining. Strapped across his back is the sheath for his scythe. It is made of black and brown leather with golden clasps. The sheath for the scythe is a reddish-brown leather holster with purple roses along the edges. All of this sums up his usual look. He only dons the black sleeveless leather vest with a hood and cloak when he needs to change his identity. On the back of the vest and cloak are a giant purple insignia of the Fylker family crest, a rose woven around a cross. The insignia was hand-stitched on and the threads uses fade from deep purple to lighter tints of violet. The cross part of the crest is made of silvery-purple string and it shimmers if the light hits is just right. Picking up Halvard's bow, Hannibal has modified the bow to collapse so that he can keep it in a sheath that matches the one his scythe is carried in.
Arms/Legs Black leather gauntlet with silver knuckles over a pair of black cotton gloves. A chain-mail wrist brace ensures his wrists don't snap out of place while he's out hunting. A reddish-brown leather belt with a golden clasp that keeps his drawers up. He also wears a purple scarf around his hips to keep his stomach warm and to give it another layer of protection. His pants are tightly woven cotton (jeans) of blackish purple. Around his legs are purple cotton braces that keep his knees from getting screwed up from all his running. With the extra weight on his person, Hannibal took extra precautions with his body. Knee-high leather boots of black protect his feet. Tipped with a metallic silver plate, he can have something get dropped on his toes without them being crushed. The shoes are also waterproof thanks to blubber and fat.

WEAPONRY & EQUIPMENT

Weapon 1 Traditional Recurve Bow and its quiver of 24 arrows. Sleek and functional, Hal's old bow is capable of being used in hand-to-hand combat, as the bow is made of durable materials. The bow is blackish silver with silver edges that he detailed himself. Each of his arrows are custom-made and painted black with forest green fletchings. The bow has been modified so it is now capable of being collapsed.
Weapon 2 Flechettes and holster gauntlet, both of which belonged to Halvard. There are standard flechettes as well as tranquilizing flechettes.
Weapon 3 Collapsible scythe. Hannibal custom ordered/modified this scythe to suit his needs. In its collapsed form, it is about two feet long and can be sheathed in a 6-inch x 4-inch leather case. When he tugs it from its holster, the blade is nicely tucked into the handle of the scythe. Grasping the handle and giving it a good flick will release the mechanism that will extend the blade from the shaft. From there, Hannibal can yank the handle and extend the scythe to three different lengths of 2-feet, 4-feet, or 6-feet. His scythe is also able to be disassembled. He can remove the curved blade and use as a boomerang or blade. The handle, having a spear-tip, can be used as either a spear or a pole.

COMBAT ABILITY

Rating System
[Perfect] - [Excellent] - [Above Average] - [Average] - [Below Average] - [Poor] - [Terrible] - [No Skill]

Hand-to-hand [Average] -- He can certainly handle his own if he ever had to fist fight someone.
Melee [Perfect] -- Hannibal is an expert when it comes to disorganized close-ranged fighting. He specializes in not having a plan of attack and making things up as he goes.
Ranged [Excellent] -- Thanks to his scythe's ability to fire blades, he can shoot things from afar. He also has his lasso-whip, which extends his range. In addition to that, Hannibal is a pretty decent knife thrower. Since Halvard's death, Hannibal also took up wielding his friend's bow. Although he's not perfect, he is pretty damn good.
Magic [Average] -- Seeing as he deals with witches and other odd tasks, he does have some skill fighting them. Sadly, he has no magical powers himself so all his attacks are purely human in nature.
Mounted [Excellent] -- Although he lost his old horse about five years ago, Hannibal has taken a liking to his new partner, Bedivere. Prior to Bedivere, he was losing horses all the time. Then, one day, he found a beautiful mustang in the fog and decided he just had to have it. After trying for two weeks to woo the horse, he eventually gave up. Three months later, when he was trying to flee, the horse came to his aid. The two have been inseparable since the.

BACKGROUND

Kingdom Affiliation Nibaru. There are a ton of different people in the kingdom (think 27 million), but the kingdom's territory is small. Meaning, everyone lives atop one another. Poverty and corruption runs deep in the kingdom. There's no middle class; you're either rich or you're poor. The city is overrun by monopolies and the lower class is taxed heavily, whereas the rich hardly pay a dime's worth in taxes. The kingdom is run by a board of men; 12 in total. Each one owns a different fraction of the nation and governs it as they see fit. All 12 governing counties are very similar, for the most part. A few are less corrupt and have a very bleak middle class that is trying to survive.
Marital Status Single
Occupation Bounty hunter (ranger); previously a witch hunter
History Sometimes it is hard to really go backwards when there is much pain, suffering, and lost in the history that now defines that man you’ve become today. Though still bound by lust, greed, and riches, Hannibal has come a long way since he was a young adult. He know fights for what his good friend Halvard fought for – for peace, justice, freedom, and truth. Sure, monetary compensation plays a vital role in his willingness to take a job, but Hannibal has really reformed. He is no longer in it solely for himself. Rather, he now sees things with a wider lens. He understands that his actions, though seemingly meaningless, might be the grain that tips a scale.

Hailing from the nation called Nibaru, a crowded but proud and high-producing nation, Hannibal learn how to be acclimated into the fast zone at a young age. People lived atop one another and everything was about time and how time was money. People were driven by their pursuit of wealth, as wealth determined success and a luxurious lifestyle. Having come from probably two of the most influential people of Nibaru, Hannibal’s childhood was everything one could ever dream of.

Arthur Cai Nancarrow married his beloved Elaine Angharat Kay when both were only twenty and eighteen years of age, respectively. The two were destined for greatness – or so the world believed. Sure enough, the two started to grow into their famous roles. Arthur moved up in the chain of command in politics until he eventually made it to the very top. He was dubbed the right-hand man to the governing leader. More or less in bed with the leader of the Nikar-Nibaru, the central sect of the twelve united cities under the Nibaru empire, Arthur eventually was elected to governor.

Meanwhile, Elaine sought a more philanthropic role. She sought to save the poor and so she developed her own infirmary and safe house for those that had nothing. Her clinic was free to those who made little to no money. She was well-loved and well-respected, which did wonders for her husband’s career. With Arthur being very surly and strategic, Elaine came across sweet and gentle. She truly was his softer side.

The night Arthur finally made it to the top, he and his wife found love in each other’s arms. 9-months later, their little boy, Hannibal, was born. Their pride and joy, the two promised that they would continue to bring Nikar the changes it needed. They were working on removing the poor and creating a middle-class. It would be a long and hard struggle, but they had the heart and resources to do it. Arthur came from wealth, oh so much wealth, as did Elaine.

Little Hannibal, though a handful, was to receive strict schooling so that he would have the brains, the power, and the capability of following in his parent’s footsteps. Only, Hannibal seemed to have issues with his schooling. He was rebellious and crying out. Constantly causing trouble and forcing tutors to leave in both rage and upset. Concerned for their child, they sought to throw Hannibal into the public school system, hoping that the contact with others would ‘break him.’ Sure enough, it did. And it came in the form of a boy by the name of Halvard Fylker.

Halvard and Hannibal were inseparable. The two literally did everything together. They even spent a great many hours at each other’s house. Thankfully, the Fylker family also came from riches so the two had much in common. And, to sweeten the deal, Arthur and Halvard’s parents were good friends. This only made the two families very proud that their little boys found each other.

As time progressed, and they grew, it became apparent which of the two had the brains and which had the brawn, or rather, the charm. Hannibal has his father’s suave tongue. He could say anything and get himself out of any and all trouble. He could talk the talk and walk the walk. He was a brilliant man when it came to making friends and stopping enemies. Halvard, on the other hand, started to develop quite the brain and the muscle to back him up. Of course, Halvard wasn’t about to let his friend fall behind, so he coached and trained Hannibal so that they might, one day, open a business together or be partners.

It was probably around Hannibal’s sixteenth birthday where darkness and the harsh reality of life really crippled Hannibal. A wonderful liquor-filled party was underway and, to make it perfect, Elaine decided to go out to the downtown market to buy her son the perfect cake. Arthur pleaded her not to go, but the woman refused to listen. She said that nothing brought more joy to her life than seeing Hannibal happy and this cake was what he wanted most. Gathering up her stuff, she left.

And she never returned.

It was all over the news. Everyone knew what happened and they saw how it destroyed the Nancarrow family. Arthur immediately pulled himself out of politics and locked himself in his laboratory. He never emerged and he stopped interacting with his son. At some point, Hannibal dared to venture into the lab and only discovered that his father had left.

Alone, Hannibal reached out to the only person left in his life – Halvard.

However, Halvard was on his way of going into an apprenticeship for guarding and hunting. Unable to convince his friend to stay, Hannibal lived alone in his father’s castle. He tried to go to school but found the faces too unbearable.

And then, when he turned 18, everything changed.

The sorrow was finally gone from his heart and he decided to really live. He got drunk. He got high. He got reckless. He tossed his potential right out the door. He played around. He fooled around. He got in trouble. He was kicked from clubs. He was banned from bars. And, within 6-months, he was thrown from Nikar.

Alone and on his own, Hannibal moved into one of the nearby Nibaru nations, New Sinbart, and opened up his own pub. He enjoyed the influx of wealth and ladies he received. It was fantastic. Absolutely perfect! Only, that only served his nightlife. So, to keep himself busy during the day, Hannibal sought out an apprenticeship. It was hard to find someone who would take him, but he eventually happened across an anthropomorphic witch hunter. Having grown up in Nibaru, Hannibal was used to all kinds of life, creed, and preferences. He cared not for the fur of his new master, but for what the man could teach him.

From 18-and-a-half until the age of 21, all Hannibal did was scout the forests and learn how to use various weapons. Ultimately, he opted for a scythe as he found its range and grace to be ideal for cleaving off the heads of witches.

In no time, he started to build up his fame and, with fame, came fortune. Hannibal was greedy in this regard, only taking jobs that paid him. He worked alone, which made him worth even more, as most hunters worked in groups. Hannibal, having learned from a grand witch hunter, had perfected his skills. He could smell better than the average human. He could hear better than the average human. And he could see better than the average human. Those were just some of the perks that came with studying under an anthro-hunter. In order to survive, he had to learn how to really hone and use his senses to his own benefit. The man he trained under, Mr. Hofmeister, was preparing for retirement and wanted a young and capable man to replace him. However, after soon learning about Hannibal’s lust for money, Hofmeister died with a grimace on his face and the unkind words of, “Greedy bastard.”

From 21 until 26, all Hannibal did was reap the benefits of being a top-notch witch hunter. His wealth grew and grew, as did his reputation of being a playboy. Then, just before his 27th birthday, Hannibal crossed paths with someone from his past – his father.

The two caught up and although Hannibal was furious at him after leaving him, he was thrilled his family was still alive. His father had left Nibaru and was now living in Sanctum, a nation known for its inventions and alchemy. Arthur asked his son to rejoin him in his new castle and take up learning again, but Hannibal refused. He claimed that he found his gold and he wasn’t going to leave it. Saddened to hear his son had no interest in in the Nancarrow name, he left his son with some harsh, but truth last words before breaking all ties with his son.

For a whole year, Hannibal closed himself off from the world. And the world grew dark around him. Witches rose up and destroyed all he fought to protect. Those he once saved were lost to the cursed beasts. Why, even Hannibal gave up. He threw his life away and just wanted to end it all. Hearing how upset his mother was at who he had become had crushed Hannibal. And, in his weakened state of misery, a witch stalked him and took advantage of him.

He should have died, only something – someone – saved him that night. His father. Though still broken by his son’s lack of responsibility and duty, Arthur couldn’t lose his only son. Wielding his own sword, Arthur mowed down the wave of witches that tried to consume Hannibal. Slowly but surely, Arthur came out on top. Exhausted and covered in blood, sweat, and toil, Arthur collapsed. Upon seeing his father like his, Hannibal found his courage and strength. Scooping the man up, he rushed him to the nearest city. Only, it was a city he had stripped dry of riches due to his greed. They turned him away and his father died in his arms. Or at least he should have. Thankfully, an angel from his past found him and helped pull the broken man from his state of despair.

“Hannibal, your father is safe and well now. He will never be able to see again, but at least he is alive.”

The words taunted him, but Halvard never left his side. Hannibal begged his friend to help him redeem himself, to help him right his wrongs. Halvard, though not wanting to give up his ranger life, accepted and took up witch hunting.

They were unstoppable. They were the best of the best. And they killed without charge. It was all ‘pro bono’ for all of Hannibal’s sins of the past. It took about a year, putting him now at 28, to undo all his damage.

It was time the two go their own ways again. It was time they both fulfill their own life’s wishes. Hoping to redeem himself still, Hannibal decided to pledge his life to his mother. His mother worked for the poor and asked for nothing. He wanted to do the same. Well, he would still receive monetary rewards for his labors, but he wouldn’t be as greedy and ask for more than necessary to survive.

It took some getting used to, but within a year (now 29), Hannibal had perfected his art yet again. All was going well and he was doing a marvelous job keeping the land safe. He protected Nibaru to Rashmaal to Sanctum. It was large area, but it was what he needed to do to keep himself busy.

One day, while out hunting, a rider came up to him with a letter. It was from Halvard and it was a request. His friend, a range – the spirit and protector of Nibaru, needed his help? It seemed odd but he couldn’t avoid the note. Riding back to his homeland, Hannibal made excellent timing. Upon arriving, his jaw dropped. Nikar-Nibaru was gone. It was nothing but a pile of ash and waste. Griping his scythe, he moved across the flattened land and tried to seek the truth of what happened here.

Eerie silence surrounded him and Hannibal felt numb. That was until he heard a faint cough. Turning his horse around, he raced to the faint noise. Digging away the debris, he found the charred face of Halvard.

“Hally, what happen?” His words trembled with fear.

“Hann, brother, Nibaru has fallen.”

With his friend’s life fading, he pushed his horse as fast and far as he could. Arriving in Sanctum, his friend was able to get the medical attention he needed. It took about 3-month to heal, but now that he was better, Halvard was ready to talk.

“We were betrayed. The counsel, the twelve rulers, they turned on us. They forged an alliance with another nation, a nation I know not of, and, in the night, the leveled Nibaru.”

Filled with much rage, Hannibal swore that he would fight tooth and nail until they found the truth. The men rode out in search for answers and that’s when Hannibal finally lost the last bit of his sanity.

They were trekking across a razed field. The scent of fresh smoke still lingered in the air. Shifting off their mounts, the men took to the ground and hoped to ambush whoever laid in their wake. Only, when they did this, they were met with a grand army. An army whose colors weren’t visible. Outnumbered and out-skilled the boys retreated.

Halvard knew that there was no way they could both escape and live. One of them needed to fall to save the other. With tears in his eyes, he screamed to his life-long friend, “Never stop searching for the truth for the darkness hides secrets and lies. Find the light and find the truth.” Turning around on his heel, the ranger readied his bow and tried to slow the assault.

No matter how much he screamed, Hannibal couldn’t turn back. His horse refused to let him off. It just ran and ran until they were enveloped in the fog that veiled the forest. Broken, Hannibal decided he would end it all. No longer would he hunt witches, instead he would hunt the truth. He heard rumors of a group of bounty hunters who fought to keep darkness at bay. Setting out to find that band of rogues, he didn’t rest until he came upon them.

When he did finally meet these men, he told them his story. He explained his suffering, his pain. They didn’t want him, but he refused to leave. He passed all their tests. He knew all their secrets. He had the strength and the means. But they didn’t want him. So he made them want him. He made them need him. And, in time, they accepted him and branded him with their mark. They also bestowed his new weapon upon him.

“You claim that you loved this man like a brother. Brother Fylker was a brother to all of us and he spoke often of you. We believe it is only right that you proudly wield his bow.”

The bow felt odd in his hands, but in a good way. All his emotions, all his fears – they vanished. From here on out, he would dress and fight like Halvard, Nibaru’s Ghost Guardian Ranger. He would protect the weak, he would fight for the righteous, and he would seek the truth and avoid the darkness.

For the past three years now, Hannibal has done as such. He has fought. He had protected. And he has saved. Now, three years after Halvard’s death, a message comes to him. It has the royal Rashmaal seal on it. Piqued, he opens it and discovers that the Kiyomo, the Princess of Rashmaal, is gone. Halvard’s mission, as assigned by the king, is to find his daughter and protect her.

Riding on Rashmaal, Hannibal enters the kingdom late at night. He seems out the king and graciously accepts the job.

“King of Rashmaal, I come to you with bad news. Halvard Fylker has fallen but I, Hannibal Nancarrow , shall take his place.” Whirling around, Hannibal shows off the purple rose insignia on his uniform. It’s the Fylker family crest. “Halvard, though not brothers by blood, was my brother by love, choice, and right. To honor his memory, I protect, serve, and fight in his name.”

OTHER

Extras Loves the color purple and has been hit on by men because of it. Even though Hannibal is straight, he doesn't mind the attention he gets from his own gender. In fact, he'll be the first to blush from such things and will actually thank the giver of such flattery before declining the gesture.
Theme Song Thieves by Sndclsh and Echo by Jason Walker

Princess of Rashmaal

SPOILERX

Kaine

SPOILERX

Anrah

SPOILERX

01:42 PM

The land was in a state of calm and no one save for one seemed to feel a brooding darkness approach them. A storm was forthcoming and this storm rattled his bones, making him wary of his every action. Once the lightning struck and the world was sent into chaos, his blade would be sought out to put an end to all the destruction. But, until the world fell into that pit of darkness and disorder, the purple-haired beau would feast his attention and care elsewhere. After all, peace was all around them. Why worry over something that was not to come until the future tomorrows of the world?

Hand slipping behind her ear, his blue eyes lit up as he stroked her gorgeous locks. She was perfect. This woman, although from another nation, would help his home kingdom keep afloat in these prosperous times. Not to mention, the thrill and danger of their promiscuous acts were just what he needed.

Akiyama Saiki, age twenty-four, of Rishmaal was one of a select few who were entrusted with guarding the kingdom and all its jewels. Tonight, however, he had other plans. Babysitting a goofy little princess with a crush hardly seemed appropriate for a man who was reaching his prime breeding years (not that Akiyama was seeking offspring but it certainly was time for him to itch that scratch and learn about the more physical affairs of two individuals was not something he deemed important enough. Why, with the world in its current state, he figured he could skip out on babysitting for a lifetime.

The rich pleats in the woman's dress were soon draped on the floor as were his usual robes. Although dubbed a knight, each knight was allowed to practice his role as he wished, dressing and wielding whatever weapons he or she thought fit for their position. Coming from a linage of merchants and priests, Akiyama sought to forge a look that suited both. It needed to be something lightweight and easy to travel in but it also needed elegance and beauty. It should be made of sturdy materials but it should also be woven with holy fabrics.

The average knight seemed to don the stereotypical suit of armor and broadsword. He actually considered it, as it was the easier route. However, after conversing with both his folks, the blue-eyed warrior opted for something that resembled the prayer robes mixed with a bit of a ninja-esque attire.

This outfit was currently intertwined with this woman's attire. She seemed to like it (for obvious reasons of being the easiest to remove) and so he wore it for her.

As they rolled around the woman's king-sized bed, she hushed him only once to respond to a sounds outside her door.

"Father, I am reckless tonight. You mustn't keep me cooped up all day. Retire the guards and let me toss and turn in peace."

With her request, her father and the servants left the corridor, allowing these two to do as they pleased.

"Your father will be furious with me if he-"

Her lips closed upon his. "My father doesn't have to know. Besides, shouldn't I be allowed to give myself up to whomever I desire?" Her eyes fluttered. "Right now, I desire you. So hurry up and get in so we can spend all night in euphoria."

It must have flawless for Akiyama did not awaken until after the sun was in the sky. This, of course, would be problematic as he would not be able to escape her castle under the cloak of dawn. Still, he didn't seem to alarmed to wake beside her naked, perfect body.

When their eyes met, the princess of Yuua gave him a bashful smile. "You're amazing," she cooed before stroking his chest with her finger, "but you must leave now. You've a princess to present to the king and queen."

Rolling from her bed, the woman slipped over to the door and unlocked it. "Take the main corridor out to the orchard. From there, I have a horse waiting for you. He's the fastest in all the land. Race him hard and he will get you back in time. Wake the princess, have the maids doll her up, and escort her to her parents."

He received a kiss on his lips. "Hurry now."

Following her instructions, Akiyama was able to secure the horse without being seen. Racing it into the rising sun, he prayed he would make it back on time. With each thunderous pound from the horses' hooves, Akiyama felt something chip away at his heart. He felt sick… and weak… in grave danger.

Up the back flower post and through the balcony, he moved toward the child princess' room. Looking at the analog clock on the main tower in the city below, he saw he had just enough time to spare. Patting his wardrobe down and brushing his hair out with his hands, he licked the dust off his face before drawing in a deep breath. Stomach and heart still ailing him, he forced himself to be calm. Perhaps the euphoria from the night was just causing butterflies that overwhelmed him? Yes, that was it.

Be still, he scolded himself while prying the doors open. He needed to be inside before the maids arrived so he hasted in and pretended he was just opening the doors for the first time. The usual two maids scurried to the door, both appearing just minutes after his arrival. Based on their expressions, they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. He had successfully returned without causing alarm or being caught. Phew!

Pulling down the sheets that the princess buried herself in, Akiyama sang the morning wake-up song. "Princess, dearest princess, please grace us with your beauty. Let your radiant smile shine upon us and grant us happiness and peace toda-"

His heart stopped. The usual warmth that was caused by the cute princess was gone. The bed, cold and empty, looked larger than ever in this over-sized room. The two maids broke into a fit of screams, causing the nearby guards to storm the room. King and queen not too far behind them, the princess' room was soon full of more people than Akiyama felt comfortable with. There eyes, all of them, bore into his soul. He could feel their disbelief and anguish. He, the chosen one to watch her, had not only failed them but he had also betrayed them by letting her fall victim to the night.

"Akiyama," the king's voice cracked as he bellowed at the male before him, "what is this trick you play on us."

Silent for a moment, his blue eyes soon meet those large, emerald eyes of the king. Akiyama's skin was clammy and his head dotted with beads of sweat. How was he to respond to this? He couldn't just say, "Well, I was f--ing the neighboring nation's princess last night. Ya know, the kingdom we're currently avoiding since the king of Yuua took a swing at your wife. But, hey, it's all good. I think I mended the relationships because I was banging the princess who thinks I'm the s---."

No, that wouldn't work. He needed something better. Something stronger and confident. Something that would let him off the hook, at least for the time being.

"I… I don't know sir. I-" his voice was meek and shallow, "I didn't hear anything last night. Nor did I sense danger. And I certainly didn't see anything." His gulping didn't seem to help. In fact, it seemed to piss the king of even more.

"So you're telling me that you didn't see who took my daughter. You didn't hear anything nor you didn't feel or smell anything. WHAT THE HELL KIND OF GUARDIAN ARE YOU! I ENTRUSTED YOU WITH HER LIFE. YOU WERE TO WATCH HER, PROTECT HER!"

Fuming, the king lashed out Akiyama even further. Hand striking his face and then gripping the collar of his robe, he shook the lad violently until the tears in his eyes came spurting out.

The queen, who was just as furious, joined her husband's side. With red eyes and a hateful scorn on her face, the woman begged her husband to do something. Anything! Something needed to be done.

"Seize him," a voice from behind them cried out. It came from the prince of the Yuua who was staying at the castle. He was supposed to be groomed to be the perfect husband for the princess, only the princess wasn't fond of him. This arrangement was done with the hopes of repairing all the damages caused by the ex-king of Yuua (he died in battle and was replaced by someone of the queen's liking, a rather cocky brute who was no more fit to be king than the last womanizing king of Yuua). "Death to the traitor who couldn't protect my future bride!"

At that moment, a flood of soldiers stormed the castle and marched on Akiyama's location. Scared witless, the ex-knight did the only thing that came to mind.

Run.

Leaping out the balcony, he found the ground harder than usual when he made impact. Limping toward the horse he borrowed, he mounted it. Kicking its gut with his heels, the knight and rider blasted off toward the mountain side. Knowing he was now a wanted man, Akiyama knew it was time to ditch his robes and take up a new look.

While on the run, Akiyama only stopped once at a small trade post to buy up a new look. He didn't have time to be picky so he bought the first thing he was - a long coat, boots, and some simple western attire. Stripping his robes off, he carried them out of the post to burn them, hiding all the evidence that he was there.

Still, he looked just as he was expected to look. It was time to say goodbye to his beloved long locks. Taking his sword to them, he cut the hair, watching it blow away into the breeze. Some birds somewhere out there would find his hair to be most delightful, especially when building a nest.

Nonetheless, he was back on his horse and racing toward the unknown. He needed to get out of the known lands, the safe lands. It was time to cross the lines and find refuge in the Banished Lands. However, this trip there would not happen in seconds. No, he wouldn't arrive there until the next evening. And this is when our story begins….

06-10-2015, 12:45 PM

The sunlight broke through the trees as it rose over the horizon, casting its grace over the porcelain skinned female that lay on the forest floor. The sound of chirping birds stirred the woman from her rest. Stretching, she could feel the roughness of the earth beneath the smooth embrace of the mossy landscape before her; something her parents would never let her wake up to as it wasn’t fitting for a princess. Pulling herself off the ground, Kiyomi was able to fully stretch this new body of hers. Looking down at herself, her hands traveled her slender form; trailing over her toned stomach before cupping the moderately large buxom she was not accustomed to seeing. The princess was interrupted from her self-groping when she heard the snort of a horse not far away. Excitement filled the gleaming emerald eyes of the woman as she cast her gaze down to the stuffed black pony that lay on its side. “Come Midnight, our adventure begins!” With that, she scooped up the toy and ran towards the direction of the sound, her long legs carrying her much quicker than she was used to.

Running through the woods barefoot probably wasn’t the brightest idea the princess was quickly learning as she stepped from one sharp rock, to stick, to another sharp rock. She had to push on though; a brave adventurer like Akiyama wouldn’t let this hold him up, so she couldn’t either!

The pain was starting to add up and it didn’t help that it felt like a sharp pebble had wedged itself into the bottom of her foot. Kiyomi had to stop, so that was just what she did. Lifting her foot, her shapely nails pried the pebble free. The sound of a snort followed by a loud whinny caused the princess to jump. Looking up quickly, her eyes fell upon a pump elderly man; from the was he was squinting, she was guessing that he couldn’t see very well. He sat atop a wooden wagon full of hay that was being pulled by a team of two large horses. Granted, the horses that pulled the royal carriages were said to be the prize of the land, the horses that stood before her and the girl in awe. They would have easily towered over the royal steeds, the four of their legs making up a single leg for the giants before her. Even halted, they needed to aids to keep them calm, they just stood there, only moving occasionally to scratch themselves or search the ground for food.

“My dear, what are you doing out here all by yourself?” The old man finally asked, his voice just loud enough to be heard. “It’s not safe for a young lady to be out on her own in such clothing.” The green eyed girl looked down curiously at the old man before looking down at her attire. She wore a white, spaghetti strap nightgown, one that the night before would have been overly large for her when she was tucked into bed. With her new height though, the hem of the gown barely fell past her rear, the top pulled taut over the breasts that were not there hours earlier.

When she looked back up at him silently, he insisted once again, “What are you doing out here all by yourself?” Kiyomi’s gaze fell to the horses as they noisily shook in their steel and leather harnesses, the memories of the night before coming back to her.
Kiyomi never liked being tucked into bed, at least when the maids were the ones doing it. When Akiyama tucked the light brown haired princess to bed, he would tell her stories of his adventures and before his time as her guard. She had probably heard all of his stories a number of times, but they never got old. However, when the maids tucked her in, there were no stories, at least none that interested the young princess; she wanted freedom and adventure and a place where her and Akiyama could go on their own journeys together.

Not being tired, the six-year old girl climbed out of bed and sat on the balcony outside of her room. Sitting on the edge, she carelessly swung her legs back and forth, her stuffed pony Midnight held at her side. Kiyo leaned against the stone posts of the structure for a moment, before a movement caught in the moonlight drew her attention. She could see a form leaving the palace, a very familiar form at that. “Aki?” She asked the still air quietly as she slowly rose to her feet to watch the man retreat into darkness. Brow furrowing together, the princess looked at the small horse saying, “We have to follow him Midnight, Mama and Papa won’t like it if he goes missing.”

Clutching the material of the horse in her teeth, the child made her way to the side of the balcony where the creeping ivy had grown well past the height of her own room. Climbing over the railing, the princess gripped the foliage tightly and quickly shimmied her way down and safely to the ground. Hopping away from the house, the petite girl took off running in the direction she had watched her guard go, dodging the night watch as she went.

Kiyomi wasn’t sure what way the black haired male had gone by the time she got into the open, standing clear in the moonlight away from the home she was forbidden to leave alone. Clutching her faithful pony, the princess was on a mission; she couldn’t let Aki get in trouble, not if she could help it! With a look of determination on her face, the princess pushed onwards, venturing further from her home. A noise off in the distance caught her ear and for a second she thought she had heard his voice, distancing itself from her in the woods. “This way Midnight,” she said to the small pony as she changed their course as the blackness of the forest swallowed them whole.

Her small bare feet continued to pull the princess further and further into the darkness, her drive and determination pushing her to find her guardian, to find her knight. She heard a branch snap not far from where she stood and it brought the child to a quick stop. “Aki?” She asked into the night as she spun towards the source of the noise. Another stick broke, this time from behind her. “Aki?” She called again as she turned to face the new direction. Sucking in a deep breath of air the princess grumpily said, “Akiyama, this is no time for games. Mama and Papa won’t be happy if you aren’t home in the morning so you come home right now!”

A noise, unfamiliar to the young, inexperienced princess began rumbling dangerously beside her. Something wasn’t right, she knew that Aki wouldn’t play games like this. Clutching the pony at her chest, hiding half her face in it, Kiyomi’s drive seemed to break. “Aki?” She called into the darkness pitifully as she hid her eyes from the world around her. “Aki, where are you?” A small sob escaped the child’s lips as she cried, “I’m scare Aki, I want to go home now.” A sudden movement and rush of noise only caused the child to further hide behind her toy, though in that same instant, all was calm again.

Kiyomi risked lowering the horse to see the darkness around her, but she was pleasantly surprised. Before she stood a beautiful woman decorated in stars and bathed in light, a content smile playing her features as she reached out for the child. “There is no need to fear,” she said, her voice holding an unearthy echo to it. “I know what it is you seek and I can help you find it.” The princess’s green eyes lit up as she quickly moved towards the woman. “You can help me find Aki?” She asked hoped fully, her pony falling to the forest ground as she gripped the silky garb of the faerie.

The woman smiled once again, placing a hand on the girl’s head. “I can do much more than that for you.” Kiyomi was confused at this point and the look on her tear stained face gave as much away. “I can give you the freedom and adventure you seek.” This news was exciting to the girl as she practically pulled herself onto the lap of the kneeling woman. “Really?! I can be like Aki? You can do that?” The woman simply nodded at first, allowing the forest to interject a calm silence in the air. “But you cannot tell him who you really are, do you understand? If you do that, the spell will be broken and you will have to return home to the King and Queen and live as you have been.” The child continued to look at the woman in awe and amazement as she asked, “But me and Aki can go on adventures, right? Just like the ones he tells me in his stories?”

The snow-white haired woman laughed softly. “If that is what your heart desires then it shall be done. Is that what you wish?” Kiyomi quickly nodded her head, “Oh yes, yes please! I would like that so much!” The faerie stood, allowing the child’s hand to fall from her own grip before clasping her hands together. “Very well my dear, but remember, you mustn’t let anyone know your true identity, for if you do the spell will be broken. However, if you are able to achieve your heart’s desire, you shall continue to live however you wish. It will not be easy, but is this what you desire?” Without hesitation, the Princess nodded her head quickly. The woman before her nodded only once as she lifted a hand to the air. The child before her was showered in starlight and as it grew brighter and brighter, the visage of the child vanished. The mystical creature watched the act before her until the child was gone and a woman, fifteen years her elder lay sleeping on the ground before her.

Once the light faded away, allowing the darkness of the forest to return, the faerie knelt beside the princess, running her fingers through her hair. “Such a spell is much more common to your family than you may know Princess Kiyomi,” she said softly, her glowing eyes seeming to take the appearance of a sadder emotion, though what it really meant was hidden to all. “May you be successful and safe in your journeys and know that you will never be truly alone.” Though the Princess had heard the voice, it would fade away to the dark reaches of her mind where she would not be able to recall it.

Back in reality, the older man was still waiting for the Princess to respond; she seemed lost, though eventually she did respond. “I must have gotten separated from my party in the night,” she said; she had to think like a brave adventurer, she had to think of Akiyama and his stories. “We had taken camp in the forest when I heard something. I am not sure what it is, but finding you here must mean that my companions have moved on, taking my gear and weapons with them.”

This story seemed to ruffle the old man’s feathers as he asked, “Where was it you were heading? Perhaps we can catch up with your party-” Though he was cut off by the brown haired girl shaking her head. “We are simply vagrant travelers, there is no telling where they have moved onto if they have found me missing. They shall continue to search for me and know shall begin and the local cities and villages, it may be best to head there.” What was she even saying? The Princess had absolutely no idea where this story was coming from, but the old man seemed to have bought it.

“Well, we can’t have you wandering the land where someone may wish harm on you. You shall come with me back to Twin Falls and can wait for your friends with me and my wife.” Kiyomi wasn’t sure on how grande of an idea that was; she had remembered pictures of Twin Falls, it was a place that she had wanted to visit though her father never wanted her to ever venture that far into the Banished Lands. He had told her that that was the place where all the bad guys went, it was where they hid and planned their next attack on their home. Worrying her lip slightly, the brunette finally said warily, “I really shouldn’t, I don’t want to impose on you like that.”

The old man just seemed to wave the thought away. “Nonsense, we could always use help on the farm and Chiyoko could make you something more suitable to wear while you wait for your friends.” It didn’t seem that the old man would ever budge so finally Kiyomi just gave in. With a nod of her head she said, “Very well, but only for a couple of days.” She then approached the wagon, climbing onto the back to sit with the hay; the old man did not seem to object (seeing as his seat barely held him, she didn’t see how sitting up from would have been an option). With a quick snap of the reigns he held, the two horses began pulling their load once again, not seeming to notice the additional weight.

Kiyomi looked at her pony, sighing softly. She wasn’t sure why she was acting the way she was or saying the things she did, but perhaps that just went along with the spell? The faerie did say that she would be whatever her heart desired and she did long to adventure like Akiyama, with Akiyama. Perhaps that is it, she thought to herself, sounding far too mature even in her own mind.

The old man directing them seemed pleasant enough and even offered some of the food he had packed for the trip to her so she would not go hungry. Gripping a bright ruby apple in her hands, Kiyomi bit into its crisp surface, the fruit itself much sweeter and tastier than any apple she had eaten in the palace. The delightful tune the plump fellow was whistling kept drawing her attention though; he seemed very chipper and was very kind seeing as they were perfect strangers when they had met. It made the Princess begin to second guess why her father seemed to fear the Banished Lands so, after all, if this old man and his wife could live there, it couldn’t have been all that bad, could it?

A number of thoughts continued to plague the mind of the woman as she tossed her apple core from the back of the wagon. A few hours had passed and while she wasn’t sure how much longer the trip would be, the thought of sitting there for a few more hours didn’t seem to bother the girl. She was free from the restrictions of the palace, able to live life on her own and it was nice.

Kiyomi must had fallen asleep at some point because the feeling of no longer moving caused her to sit up suddenly, the sunlight harshly greeting her. All around her were quaint little houses, many of them with fences that held livestock as dogs and cats mingled and walked about the village of Twin Falls just as they pleased. “Wow,” the Princess said in awe as she hopped off the back of the cart. “Welcome to Twin Falls deary,” the old man greeted as he hobbled his way around to the back of the cart. “Now come, come,” he ushered, using his walking stick to direct the girl to the house they were standing in front of. “We don’t need the neighbors to think poorly of you, so let’s get you inside so Chiyoko can get you some clothes.”

Once inside, the green eyed girl was greeted by a woman that was equally as old, blind, and plump as her husband. She seemed excited about meeting Kiyomi and even more excited to be able to make something suitable for the girl to not only travel in, but fight in. The Princess’s head was spinning as she wasn’t able to keep everything straight in her mind. At one moment the old woman was getting measurements and the next she was giving her a white and red kimono to use while she worked on something more custom. That left the girl back in the open, the villagers openly staring at the girl as she insisted on helping the old man unload the hay he had picked up for the livestock. She wasn’t the only one helping either, the entire village grabbed gloves and pitchforks and all helped to unload the wagon. Father really couldn’t be right about the Banished Lands, could he? She couldn’t help but question, though if she were right, Kiyomi would have been pleased for these people were very welcoming, especially to a stranger they knew nothing about.

Once the hay had been taken care of, the old man apparently having gone out to get enough of the dry feed for the entire little village, the old man pushed the Princess back towards his home, urging her to see his wife once again while he and a few others from the village worked to put the wagon and horses away. Walking into the house, the grey haired woman pulled her attention from the yellow fabrics she was working with and quickly moved her way to a chest that sat tucked in a corner near a mortar fire place. Opening it up, she pulled out a thick fabric before hustling back over to the slender female. “Here you go deary,” she said handing the soft material to her. “Just take the path behind the house up to the hot springs to clean up. Take your time too sweety, there is no need to rush.” The woman smiled as she began pushing the brunette towards the door.

Kiyomi was curious, not only about the hot spring in which she was headed to, but about the hospitality that these people were showing her. They were nothing like her father had described, though she wondered if that was because Twin Falls was one of the first villages within the Banished Lands.

The sound of moving water up ahead had broke the princess from her thoughts as she approached a pool of steaming water. She blinked at it for a moment, having never seen any sort of heated pool of water that was outside the bathtub; she was sure that her mother had been to many of these pools with how often she leaves for her own things, but she had never taken her daughter with her. Kiyomi set the towel beside the pool as she knelt beside it, reaching a hand into the warm liquid.

She woman looked about where she sat, all was quiet save for the sounds of chirping birds in the distance. It was weird to think that she was being sent out on her own to take care of herself after having maids take care of her her whole life, but that was the life of an adventurer, right? With a nod to herself, Kyomi pulled her clothing off, discarding it near her abandoned towel, even removing her signature white bow, carefully laying the ribbon with the rest of her belongings. Once that was taken care of, she slowly lowered herself into the pool, surprised by how warm it truly was since she could see no way of the villagers doing such a thing.

Leaning against the side of the pool, she let the heat just wash over her as it cleared her mind. Closing her eyes she allowed herself just to relax as she told herself and this life was much better than the one she had back home.

01:45 PM

For some time now, his purple orbs had been hunting down someone by the name of Perimones Akehurst. In Turq's past, Peri had caused him quite a scuffle -- a scuffle that banned Turq from ever setting foot in a holy region again. Both born protectors of the High Goddess, Turq's less than honorable nature got him expelled from his holy duties and landed him in the Banished Lands about five years ago. All of which was made possible by the equally arrogant and sinful Perimones. And still, to Turq's knowledge, that pompous b-----d was upholding his knightly duty of protecting the High Goddess, Lady Anglides.

Turquine Al Sisson, a six-foot six raven with majestic purple eyes, was cut from society, which forced the twenty-eight year old to endure and take up a job most men frowned upon - bounty hunting. A wily bandit with a suave tongue and devilish charm, it was not hard to picture such a handsome beau to fall victim to such treachery. Ever since his youth, people always boasted, cockily, that Turq would, one day, turn up to be one of the land's most wanted thugs. Sure enough, that rumored humor became factual. But, unlike some, Turq embraced this new found career path. Though off the beaten road he was expected to take, the raven wouldn't complain for he knew he was the most fit man for such a grisly title. Why, he always told himself, "Why not exploit myself. After all, it's my good looks, silver-tongue, and proper physique that draw people into my deceptive, spiraling pit to rock bottom."

Whip quipped at his side, the male could hardly wait to return to gather up his so-called partner in crime. This very woman, though trouble for him, seemed to be the only one that could really aid this male on such a hunt. Her demon-like traits and keen senses would be put to the ultimate test. Turquine had been searching for his blonde-haired foe for about six months now. Obviously coming up empty, the bandit sought out the assistance of a skilled hunter.

Having crossed paths with this woman, Anrah, about three years ago, Turq couldn't help but recall his first week with the woman. Oh how he wanted to strangle her. She was everything he hated. It was a crying shame that she was such an attractive creature for had she been the slightly more ugly, Turquine would have offed her in a matter of minutes. And yet, to this day, Anrah's beauty reigns control over all his willpower to reject their partnership. Granted, it was mutual. Neither one really needed the other but both enjoyed the company, especially the bedside company.

The weight of his boots and body caused the hardened soil to flake and crack as he stepped across it. Not having a horse for horses were easy to track, especially if other bounty collectors knew which hooves to look for, Turq was forced to walk across the land. Doing as such kept the male in tip-top shape.

Perfectly rounded buttock, check. Slender yet toned legs, check. A delicious eight-pack, check. Arms with slightly visible veins that were softer than a baby's butt, check. A chiseled chest and neck, check. Dreamy black locks, check. Mystifying purple eyes, check. A slender yet tender pair of lips, check.

There literally was nothing about this male that wasn't perfect. Why even his voice was like that of rich velvety goodness. It was deep and could easily melt any woman the instant she heard it. Even his singing voice was without comparison. It was like a glorious hymn sung by the angels only this voice belonged to one man -- one mortal man.

Again, everything about Turquine was bliss. From the tip of his toenail to the end of his tongue, this man was a walking god just waiting to sin. He was, simply put, known as the mortal devil.

Perhaps, if one had to point out a flaw, it would be his tattoos and piercings but one cannot simply condemn a man based on his desire to enhance his body. Two holes were found in his right ear and his lower arms were laced with ink patterns that all wrecked of a tribal nature.

With each step closer to his destination, Turquine's purple robe that was held onto his body via an extravagant chain and pendent blew in the wind. Great gusts of air tried to rip the material from him but the heavy pendent kept the material from tearing off his head and becoming one with the wind. Not to mention, Turq wore a dog collar around his neck to act as a buffer should the wind ever be strong enough to actually hoist the pendent from his chest.

Finally, cresting the top of a sandy dune, his slender, beautiful eyes caught a quick glimpse of a flag being beaten by the battering wind. Its luscious colors seemed lost against the tan background but Turq knew what that flag represented -- home or at least the location of his Anrah.

Not allowing a skip into his pace, the male slowed his trot down to something more like a sexy saunter. The ladies of the village instantly recognized his stride and rushed to greet him. Despite being a wanted outlaw, none of these people seemed to have any interest in collecting the bounty on his head. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he always returned to this area with gifts of sorts.

Knowing that he wouldn't make it far without being stopped by every family, Turq threw a smile onto his face before he tugged off his satchel which carried the contents of his recent raiding.

"I hope you find this bag and its contents most rewarding," he said as he turned them over to a hunched over old man. This old man was looked to as the village elder -- the one man that seemed to keep this village of riffraffs together.

Not awaiting a response for none was warranted nor needed, the tall raven moved past the gathering crowd and sought out the hut where his mistress would be waiting. Of course, their hut had to be the one furthest from the rest, laying on the outskirts of town. Anrah had this delusion that if she lived closer to the others, then other demons would raze the village and destroy everything. One of these day, Turq told himself, he would poke at this topic and see what Anrah was hiding for he knew that somewhere within that comment of fear that there was a story.

He was about to kick off his boots and step into the house when he noticed her lack of presence. Being with her for at least three years now meant that he was capable of feeling her aura. They were, essentially, one and the same. Together or apart, the two could always sense the whereabouts and safety of the other. Perhaps, he thought to himself, he was spending too much time with the woman. With a laugh being made to himself, Turq stepped backwards out of the house and pointed his nose from the left to the right.

"Where oh where could my little Anrah be," he chimed to himself before picking up her scent in the light breeze. Smirk on his face, he looked forward to seeing her in such a pleasing manner. Would make their first interaction in six-months all the more heavenly.

Picking his way down the little cobblestone path, the male crouched on his usual rock. Boots planted firmly on the polished surface and his purple cloak-like robe draping over the large surface, Turquine peeled his eyes open to spy his partner.

Only, this woman before him was not his partner.

Baffled that his nose was wrong, the male cocked a brow and quivered a lip before leaning forward so his chest was parallel with the edge of the rock. "Who the hell are you?"

Never before had his eyes feasted upon something so pristine. "Clearly, a virgin," he mused to himself before rising from his perch. Hands gripping his belt, he shook his head before letting out a hissed breath. "Anrah's going to kill me for confusing an angel like you for a demon like her."

Hands moving to his temples, he snorted before realizing that this woman was mortified beyond belief. "Babe, you've nothing to fret about. I've seen plenty of naked woman and despite your angelic features, you're breasts and curves are not what I prefer. So won't get your panties in a knot."

Unlatching his robe, he tossed it her way. "I expect that back once you've found your clothes which I will assume Anrah has stolen as she does love to play pranks on the new kids."

Fluttering his eyes, neck hair's on the male stood up as his shoulders moved upward. Head turning toward the sun's warm rays, the male felt an all too familiar aura engulf him. Euphoria washed over him as he let Anrah's radiant psyche drown him in a pool of lustful intoxication.

"You're a demon," Turquine's dilated eyes met her devious orbs. It was hard holding back the urge to rip this woman from her cloths and make rough love to her right then and there (he was resisting for poor Kiyomi's sake). Heart practically beating out of his chest, Turq's hand reached outward to stroke the woman's hair back behind her ears. "But I have missed you."

A splash in the water caused Turquine's face to sport a scowl. "Woman," his head twisted around over his shoulder, "I suggest you run home before your eyes see a sight they won't ever unsee." With a charming grin and a flirty wink, the male moved his deviously hands to Anrah's hips.

"I hope you're up for a swim," he purred.

06-10-2015, 01:46 PM

Hair, the color of light milk chocolate pooled on the rocks; bright blue eyes silently watched the motionless form of the nude female that lay in the hot spring before her. Anrah, a purple skinned demonic creature with the hooves of a horse, horns of a goat and a whip-like tail pursed her lips from her hiding spot in the forest. Stretching her wings the female took flight; she was a succubus and she was very proud of her lineage though wise as to when to let it be known. With a quick pump of her wings, she was hovering just over the belongings of the woman before her; her skin was pale, but not that of someone who was sick but far from her. Her eyes remained locked on the oblivious woman as she took in the sight of her, smirking at the desires she found hidden away in her own heart. Reaching her arms downward, claw-like nails grasped the clothing and fabrics that the woman had carelessly left unattended, even if she were right next to them, before taking off to her own home.

As far as succubi go, Anrah's story is an interesting one as she had never had a master who controlled her unwillingly, the same going for Turq, her current human companion. She once lived among the realm of demons before her first master, a sad soul whom she had quickly killed off, had summoned her to the mortal plane. It wasn't her fault that child of a creature couldn't properly tame her and gave into his own desires, tis the risk of taking up the job of trying to control demons. After the death of her first 'master', Anrah took to jumping from one to another, never truly satisfied with how any of them behaved; none had the power she longed for.

After years of trying and finding human after human to fail her, the succubus gave up on her search and simply began toying with the race she chased after. She took upon herself the visage of a pale woman with raven hair and slate colored eyes. The final touch was a tattoo that covered her left shoulder, shoulder blade, and back, but even that simple imagery seemed to draw all the more men to her. She had many a male companion to her bedside, her own passions and hungers easily being fed as she took advantage of the easily corruptible. That was until one day she spotted a particular male that seemed to have a certain air to him that drew the demoness in, something that had yet to happen with any other man or master she had in the past.

This particular male had a dark past to him, one that was already corrupt and one that lead to the revenge he had deeply rooted in his heart. She followed the male, in secret, for a few days as she watched him interact with the towns folk and even ventured with him when he would leave town for a little while; she could almost smell the deceit on the male, the power that it brought drew the woman in.

When she finally made herself known to the male, he seemed to almost resistant in taking her in, almost as though he were denying himself that he truly wanted her companionship. He finally caved though and the first few days of the partnership were pure bliss for her; watching this male, Turq, fight with himself over the matter of bringing such a 'demon-like' woman to his bed. In the end, he seemed as attached to her as she grew to him and even though he had no powers to control demons (that she knew of), she called him master, the first human she had been with that she felt earned that title.

Everything about the male drew her in; his fragrance, the feel of his silky locks, the look, that dark look that was hidden in those brilliant purple orbs, there was not one thing about this male that did not seem to have the demoness in a trance. It may have been the fact that he wasn't aware of what she truly was, but he would send her out on her own and trusted her to return without him having to track her down that the woman loved so much; granted, there were times she would purposefully make him track her down because oooh, he was all the tastier then.

The woman returned to their home, a small house towards the outer reaches of Twin Falls. She had asked Turq to be further away from town just in case a man from her past should arrive, or another demon seeking the freedom in which she had. In either case, things would get ugly real fast and even for it being years later, the demoness could not sense if the beau knew of her true identity or not. He was not completely readable, which made the woman question more and more what he meant when he called her a demon woman, even if she enjoyed the way he said it. Once in their home, Anrah quickly made her way across the main room to a chest and opening, she placed the woman's belongings among those of other people she had stolen from over the years.
Kiyomi was relaxing in the warm water when a sudden sound broke her from her daze. Opening her eyes, she was only greeted by the views of the trees above her until a voice spoke up from behind her. Jumping, the princess found her back pressed against the far side of the pool as she stood, staring the male down that was creeping on the rock before her. Her eyes were wide with shock as one arm draped over the tops of her breasts, not fully aware of the situation she could be in as compared to being at the palace. She wasn't even sure what he was going on about, but it couldn't have been anything good.

As the robe landed on the rocks beside her, it was then that the reality of what was going on really sunk in and she bashfully covered herself, pulling her wet form from the heated waters. The thought of her clothes even being missing, or how to get them back had even dawned on her. At that point, the only thing flashing in the princess's mind was the fact that she stood nude before a male that was not family or a royal guard; she wasn't protected as she was back home so anything could happen. Her gaze averted, even if not very wise with a simple robe blocking anyone from her vulnerable form, it happened anyway as the woman frantically went over possible solutions in her mind seeing as calling for the guards would do her no good.
A familiar aroma engulfed the sense of the demoness as she slowed down in the home; Turq had returned. Her pupils grew with the thought of that, seeming to swallow all of her blue eyes whom as her human-like visage melded over her form. Tucking her arms into the sleeves of her kimono, she quickly made her way up a secluded wooded path back towards the pool she had just left, only this time her man was there. She could feel his body react to her presence, could see the hairs on the back of his neck erect themselves. A pleased shiver slid down the woman's spine as she approached them male in time to receive his personal attention.

Her eyes locked with his, a smirk playing her own orbs as a lust filled his. Without further invitation, the woman closed the space between them, enough to force her ample breast to seek escape through the top of her loose fitting kimono that already seemed to fail at hiding them. She pressed to her tip toes to close the remaining distance between the lips that sought to be reunited, when a sound pulled her master's attention away from them.

A dark look shot out towards the brown haired woman that had left her spot in the water and was quickly retreating back to town at the warning that Turq had left her with. Though the movement from the dark haired male quickly brought the demoness rage down to a mere sizzy as his larger hands gripped her hips before dancing to the tie that held her skirt together.

"Oooh, darling, I would swim with you even if the world froze over,"she cooed against his ear, nibbling it slightly as her skirt pooled around her bare feet to reveal a pair of steely blue panties trimmed in silver, a small part of her demonic garb that remained intact during her transformations. As his hands went to work on her bra, hers quickly untucked his shirt, her nails tracing the outlining of his abs as they slowly groped their way up to his shoulders, giving some much needed attention to his nipples along the way, of course.
Kiyomi continued to run back down the path which she had first travelled to get to the hot spring. The robe of the strange man that had interrupted her clutched tightly around her cold form; she hadn't wanted to take it, but her options were between doing that or return to the strange village nude. Without so much as a second thought, the brunette quickly found refuge once again in the small home of the elderly couple.

Upon closing the door, she leaned up against it, the old man who was sitting at the table going through a bag of items looked up and smiled pleasantly at her. "I see you met Anrah," he said simply as he set the items in his hands down before standing. "Nice girl, though we don't get to see her much. I shall let Chiyoko know you have returned, I believe she has finished with your clothing."

The princess stared in utter disbelief at the fact that the old man did not seem surprised in the least by how she had returned, nor did he find reasoning behind punishing this 'Anrah' woman for what she had done. Was something such as this truly so normal out here? She would really have to rethink what she wanted if that were the case, or at least figure out what she would have to do to avoid such a thing from happening again; she was finally free and an adventurer after all!

"Ah, Miru!" The cheerful old woman's voice rang out as hurried scuffled footsteps slid across the rough wood floor. "I have your clothing right here for you." She shoved the yellow materials into her hands before beginning to push the girl into another room, though not before she was able to stop and ask, "Miru? Who told you that was my name?" The old woman didn't seem to miss a beat as she turned and pointed towards the other end of the house, "Why that precious little steed did." Turning, Kiyomi, now named Miru was greeted with the gaze of Midnight, her little stuffed pony that was surrounded comfortably by pillows.

The brunette was able to mouth a simple 'o' before herself and Chiyoko were left in a bedroom alone, which wasn't something the female wasn't new to. There, the old woman discarded the dark robe, reminding the wind that they will have to return it 'to the nice young man Turq' before he left again. She then proceeded to dress the younger woman before her, which was a good thing because by the time she was able to see herself in the mirror, Kiyomi wasn't sure she could have dressed herself the first time. She wanted to question the sleeves, but she knew better than to do such a thing when it came to a gift.

The old woman the scurried out the door, taking the male's robe with her as she went. "Miru," the princess whispered to herself as she tried to process this new name; it couldn't be that hard, could it? With that new name came a new look, something else she would have to get used to, but it was what she asked for. Dusting off the front of her garb, the slender woman followed in the path the elder one had taken before being stopped abruptly as something was shoved in her face.

"Chiyoko said that you would be needing this," the old man whisped as he eased the wooden object into the girl's hands. As her eyes gazed over the item, she couldn't help but wonder why a bow had been picked as her weapon. The old man scurried off once again before calling over his shoulder, "Once you get all set sweety, we could really use your help in the stables. Darned horses are givin' the boys a run fer there money again." With that, he chuckled and left the house once again, having already a couple of said boys waiting on him outside the door.

And suddenly I'm a miracle worker with horses, Kiyomi thought to herself. She walked over to Midnight as she said, "Well, how hard could it be?" The old woman at the cauldron near by humming a happy tune as she stirred a pot of stew. "I'll have to show these men how to do their jobs it looks like." She didn't see how it could have been that hard if the old man was urging her into doing it, he must have thought she had the skills to.

Wakling outside, the sounds of animals and people were enough to tell the new girl where it was she had to go. The stables weren't far from the old man's home and they were certainly causing a commotion. Kiyomi's walk soon turned into a brisk jog as she made her way over to the crowds. "What's going on?" She asked as she tried to move her way inside.

"Ah, the bloody bloke decided to rear up when we were puttin' 'im up. Din' wanna wait for us to open the gate all the way and now 'es got 'imself knocked over, beatin' 'imself against everythin' in there," one man said as he moved to the side enough to let the brunette through. He eyed her for a moment, though didn't try to make any moves on her. She wasn't sure if he just wasn't interested or if it was the fact she had tossed her bow to the hay stack and was making her way towards the thrashing animal.

The men that surrounded the beast attempted to keep it pinned as Kiyomi approached it, kneeling down before the head of the beast. His eyes were wide, the whites clearly visible as it slammed on the ground a few more times before his orbs locked on to her own and he froze. The men that were piled on the frightened beast tensed, as though they were waiting for it to start its panicked flailing once again. Kiyomi's eyes scanned the beast, unsure what to do so she just kinda winged it.

"Shhh, it's ok," she cooed as the beast thrashed once only to focus on her again. "We're not here to hurt you, we're just trying to get you on your feet again." She leaned closer to the creature, resting her head on its own, feeling its breath against her thighs. Slowly that breathing pattern was slowing, to something she assumed was more normal for a horse. Sitting back, she saw the men on the horse had backed off, hold their lead lines tightly. Giving them a nod, they pulled their ropes, rolling the massive beast onto his belly where the princess was able to take the front lead and slowly stand, encouraging the beast to do so. Tugging lightly on the rope, he seemed to get the idea as he clumsily pulled himself to his feet only to be partially started by the cheers that erupted from the town's folk.

Someone had managed to get the lead from the brunette as she was pulled away from the horse and handed her bow as she was led back into the open air of the city. The people around her were ecstatic because she did something, though she had no idea what it was exactly. From the chants though, it sounded as though everyone had wanted her to help with the horses when she was in town. At that point, a part of her had hoped that she didn't have any other hidden skills she was yet to be aware of.

06-10-2015, 02:01 PM

CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.

A male with dull red hair approached from the back door. His face was a scowl despite what his body was doing, hinting that he was mocking her endeavor.

"Oh don't mind him. That's just Kaine," said one of the stable boys who gave an eye roll the instant the male entered the stable. It was evident from the way everyone seemed to fall silent that this male, Kaine, was held at a different regard than most. Until Turquine and Anrah, this redheaded follow seemed more dry and caustic than devious and deceptive.

Pulling the hood from his face, the lime-green eyed male's face was finally exposed so Miru (Kiyomi) could see more than just his red fringe. His face was slender and acute, unlike Turquine's in every way. Turquine had a soft suave look and feel to him. This guy - Kaine - was hardly soft, looking more and more like snake with every step he took.

His cold gaze seemed to circle Miru like that of a vulture. Not once but three times the male had to encircle Miru, taking her in and giving her a once over.

"Well," a voice from outside the stable rung. A familiar voice at that - Turquine's. "Will her mere presence bring about the utter demise you foresaw?"

How long had Miru been gone? Obviously long enough for Turquine and Anrah to make love, dress up, and hunt her down.

With the lack of conversation following Kaine's entrance, the raven figured it was time he push the answer out of Kaine. "Well, is this little lass going to-" he was cut off.

A raised hand and a turned head met Turquine's question. This reaction meant that Kaine was not about to divulge such information to unworthy ears. Not to mention, he wouldn't waste his time scuffling over such trivial matters such as this. Threat or not, Kaine would have an answer to the problem within the next rising of the moon.

Moving past Miru in a haughty manner, Kaine left the building, leaving Miru in a state of confusion. A sigh hissed past his lips as he rolled his shoulders back to release a popping sound that allowed his joints to fall back into place. "Kaine's a psychic. He can see the future, speak to the departed, and cast spells with the use of his staff."

Following the path Kaine previously exited with, Turquine worked his way toward the exit. With a quick glance over his shoulder, he froze in his tracks. "Are you coming? He can't do a reading on you from in here. You'll need to go to his place."

Reluctant as she might be, the woman would eventually have to follow the outlaw. He wasn't really giving her much of a choice. Once she finally started to move after him, the raven beckoned for Miru to weave down a path toward a hilltop that was covered in rare light blue flowers that looked as if they were made of ice.

Up the small cobblestone path they went and with each step, the air grew thinner and thinner. Kaine's abode atop the hill was not an easy climb. Although one could do it in an hour, it was still a very steep incline and almost always left the traveler short of breath and seeking water.

The further up the mountain-like hill they climbed, the heavier the blue flower population became. Soon though, crane-like birds were visible at the crest and the sound of a water could be heard. Turq's hand moved to his lips, signaling Miru that she needed to be silent for they were entering sacred ground.

The instead the last step of the stairs stopped, an icy blue path started. With a bit of hesitation, Turq stepped onto the path and a flash of quite light was emitted from under his foot. Each step he took toward the temple seemed to light up. And the one time he brushed up against a large fern-like plant, it recoiled like that of a rattlesnake who was ready to strike.

White frogs hopped across the blue path, each creating small bursts of white light from their contact. Large cranes grazed in the clearest, blue water ever seen by man. Their large, golden legs strutted through the pure water and their matching gold sword-like beaks hunted down the coy fish that swam below them.

Snow that was neither cold nor wet fell from the air, sparkling and shimmering as it covered the flesh of the travelers. Golden flecks of glitter seemed to rain from the sun's brilliant rays and those glistening pieces found their way into Miru's hair.

The sweet lullaby of a dove was mixed with the slight swaying of a large willow tree that was growing in the midst of the pond. Black bark and white leaves sprawled over a fair share of the pond, creating soft ripples with each light dance of the branches in the wind.

At the end of the blue path stood a temple. It was small and white but its great peaks seemed to spiral high into the sky. The temple appeared to have three sections - the main entrance, a left wing, and a right wing that also served as the rear of the building. However, upon their entrance of the building, Miru would find the temple severely larger than her eyes lead her to believe.

A staircase spiraled down into the earth that had a silver hue to it. There in the lower walls were flecks of purple and blue. The walls of this ground level were purple white and glistening. To the left was indeed a room, a room one would presume to be Kaine's room. The right connected to the back in a large L-like shape, which created the tomb room. There in this room hung and stood the stones of great people. Some gods had their statues around the room but, for the most part, the place served as a burial ground for those people who were cast into the Banished Lands.

Turquine was soon gone, which was rather shocking. However, with the temple being rather open, Miru would safely assume that he descended into the lower region of the temple.

Sure enough, Turquine and Kaine were occupying the lower room that appeared to be a library of sorts. However, the alchemist mark on the floor painted with blood would soon indicate that this room was not the library but the room where rituals and experiments were done.

Stomping the hilt of his silver staff on the marble floor, the blood symbol came to life. A rush of light erupted from the symbol and a pair of wings emerged from the light. A faceless angel of sorts soon hovered in the room.

"Ahda mira no kiss va la saamer."

Those foreign words twisted the angel around and around until the creature suddenly burst into a sea of sparkles that floated toward Kaine's staff. The blue orb in its center began to glow and the hood that once veiled Kaine's face was blown off. Kaine's green eyes were no longer green, rather blue like the orb to his staff.

Mouth ajar, he stretched his staff toward Miru. Within seconds, she was trapped in its grasp, unable to move or talk. She second the light hit her, Miru would sense the presence of another within her. Another soul had entered her body.

Although it was impossible to actually see this soul, the mind often played a trick on the person who was being invaded. Those same wings from before seemed to fly around her insides and a body much like that of Kaine was attached to those large, graceful wings.

A voice in her head reassured her that all was safe.

"My dearest princess
I can see your face
You've nothing to fear
While in this place

Your path is twisted
And full of tears
But you'll have friendships that will keep you here

Oh little child
Although you have been changed
I will keep your secret
And all will be okay
Adventure awaits you
As you embrace this new fate."

It was a hymn like tune that was sung to her, reassuring her that all would be safe. This soul, whoever it truly was, knew of Miru's true identity and would do its best to keep it safe and hidden.

Warmth suddenly flooded her and then a pinch of coolness followed. The spirit that was once within her was now gone.

The clattering sound of a dropped metal object (a staff to be exact) followed. Kaine, on one knee and supporting himself with his hands on the groin, looked up at Miru. His green eyes soon returned and he found himself in an odd predicament.

"You bring trouble with you," his voice was crass and raspy, "but only because of your past. This village is made by men and women who were granted a second chance. You heard my soul and all it had to say. So, my dearest, you are free to stay."

A grin grew on Turquine's face as Kaine finished up his comments. "Good to know. But, hey, you just leave the past to me. I'll knock the socks off whoever's after you. Anrah and I have been clearing names for three years now. We aren't going to let your past wash you up and keep you from fulfilling your-" he was cut off again.

"Your new fate." With a wink, Kaine bent down and seized his staff. "I can see you've been equipped with a bow. Have you slightest idea how to wield it?" His brow crept up on his forehead. "I figured as much. Perhaps Turquine and Anrah can aid you in your training."

"Eh! What. No way. I have my hands full hunting down that son of a bitch P-"

"Perimones. Yes, yes. We know. Perhaps this fine young lady can get you one step closer to your goal. Unlike you, this woman was born and bred with proper etiquette and would be allowed to enter the holy land Perimones resides in. Train her up right and you might have the finest bowman - woman - on your side."

Hands reaching out, the two males exchanged a shake before turning to face Miru. "Turquine, I shall send her back to you when I'm done with her."

With that cue, the male left and jaunted down the hill where he was met by Anrah who, sadly, was unable to make the joinery. Being a demon, her presence would destroy the sacred land, thus forbidding her from entering Kaine's place of refuge.

Now alone, Kaine could prod Miru with some question. "Who's this Akiyama you seek? I can see only pain in your future if you continue to chase after him." His arms folded across his chest. Resting his left elbow on his right arm, he let his left hand rest against his face. "I hope your naive, youthful mind matures as fast as your body had. You will need to wise up if you wish to survive." Looking away, he muttered to himself, "I only pray you don't have to see the future I foresaw for I don't think your innocent heart could endure such tragedy."

His brown deerskin boots slipped across the marble floor and ascended the silver stairs. "Come, I need you to drink something before I send you back out into the town. I need to purge you of the upcoming growth pains you will suffer from. To change from a mere child to a fully endowed woman in such time is truly remarkable and yet it will leave a great toll on your body. With my aid and your strength, we can turn back the hands of the clock and prevent a rude awakening."

Once they were back on the ground level, the male escorted her into his room. "It's not much of a room but it's where I live. Due to my… nature… I am unable to live down there." He could sense a question forming on her tongue. "I'm soulless," he chided. "I cannot sleep unless I'm up here. One without a soul cannot dream and one cannot sleep unless they dream. Thus, when I am not up here in this sacred land, I am just a foul creature. Heartless and soulless. I do believe you experienced my colder nature earlier."

A frown soon donned his face. "Nonetheless, this lack of mobility is an issue. I will need your assistance. With what the future holds in store for you, I have no choice but to accompany you on your lengthy journey. But, to do that, I will need to reacquire my soul."

Kaine stopped before laughing. "I bet you're exhausted. Here," he said handing her a cup of steaming blue water, "drink think. It will heal your insides and sharpen your tongue and mind. It might make you drowsy so if you sleep for the next three days, don't be alarmed. In time, everything will become clear to you."

A kiss was placed on her head as Kaine hustled her to the front door. "Slowly drink it on the walk down. If you don't, it won't work as well."

And, with that, he sent the woman off to begin the first part of her journey. It would be a long journey but it would be worth it in the end.

"Oh my dearest princess, my heart weeps for you. The path you seek is dark and cold and all will turn on you. Find new friends and hold fast for this journey could very well just be your last…."

06-10-2015, 02:06 PM

The smile that seemed to brighten the Princess's face quickly fell as the sounds of voices fell silent to a rather blunt noise that was over taking the scene.It was a sound that reminded of her of when she was still at home with Aki; she could recall times when he would take her out into the city and people would be gathered. They would all be talking about something and once everyone had started calming from their celebrating, one person would start clapping for some reason. It was something that never really made sense to the girl and all she knew was that it would bring out actions that would quickly force the dark haired male to react by either removing the brunette from the situation altogether or by trying to stop it. Turning around to see where the sound was coming from, brown eyes were quickly met with dull green ones that cause Kiyomi to suck in and hold a breath of air. She looked at the stable boy that spoke for only a moment, not needing to see his facial reaction to feel the disdain that he did towards the man that had just arrived.

The removal of his hood did little to settle the unease that the woman felt, rather it really just made it worse as he appeared as predatory-like as he was behaving. He said nothing to her as he circled her multiple times, the brunette doing her best to keep her eyes locked on the male as she was unsure of what his next move was. In the city, if Aki didn't act quickly, things got out of hand fast and all because of the guy that clapped last. In this world Kiyomi, no, Miru was on her own; she was a lone adventurer, separated from her party and there would be no one to step in and save the day any longer. And it was although it was that thought alone the brought a much straighter appearance to the woman as she stood much more erect, her shoulders rolled back slightly as she raised her chin ever so slightly, a behavior she had picked up from her mother when she was irritated or feeling as though she were being looked down upon.

The image that she was trying to make for herself quickly broke as a voice from earlier broke through the tension without so much as a worry with what could happen from it. Turning her head so that her long locks flew about her form, Miru was met the appearance of the earlier dark haired male and his irritated-appearing counterpart that had herself wrapped around him. With no reply from the male, the new comer spoke up again, though this time his sentence fell short of being completed. The sudden cut off quickly drew the female's attention back to the other male, her worry growing slightly. Yet, nothing seemed to happen save for the male leaving a confused Miru to stand in a now mostly empty area.

The dark haired male seemed to take the action as a victory as he started to speak again, Anrah at his side pursed her lips as her eyes locked onto those of the princess. That gaze seemed to lock the girl in place as the male began walking away, taking the dark haired woman with him only to pause when he realized that Miru was not following him.

Shaking her head quickly, she looked at Turq in confusion for a moment before what he said slowly started to sink in. A reading? That could not have been good idea, he would be able to see through everything and it would ruin it all; she had been told to keep it all a secret and this would put it all out in the open. As she was contemplating telling the couple this, a quick look from the black haired woman seemed to change her mind. As their eyes met once again, the princess felt a beckoning, as though going with them was something that she wanted to do, something that she wanted to see the outcome of; with that thought drawing her on, the female quickly caught up with the duo and followed them towards a path.

The flowers that surrounded that path in which they were taking were beautiful and were almost enough to distract the brunette from the long hike that had already been venturing on, though the stinging of the dryness in her throat refused to let her forget reality. Oh how badly the female wanted to just run and roll through those blue flowers that decorated the hill side, though the long graceful necks of tall birds soon drew her attention away once again.

Anrah had fallen away from Turq, her movements stopped which had caught Miru's eye as she looked first at the woman and then to Turq whom motioned for her to be silent. Clearly the male must have expected his woman to not make the whole trip, or at least his appearance did not seem surprised. The princess quickly nodded her response as she grasped her hands before her, quietly following the male.

The dark haired woman on the other hand was seething; this place was something that no demon would pass up attacking. Something as sacred as this place was a gem and would gain any of demonic blood favors, though her loyalty to Turq would not allow her to desecrate the land. That did not, however, deter the woman from her thoughts as she constantly replayed in her mind over and over, herself blowing up the sanctuary that resided at the top of the mountain and the sickening laugh that would come from her very being as she would blow up every happy little critter one by one just to watch them run in panic. No, she couldn't do that all because the man she had deemed as her master said not to. The woman sighed to herself as the party grew smaller in the distance, such was the life of a 'tamed' demon.

Miru's gaze quickly dropped as she watched the demeanor of the dark haired male pause for a brief moment. The cobblestone steps that they were on ended and before them was a path of blue, shining like slick ice. The brunette followed the male's hesitation as she stopped, watching the men before her. The men before her continued walking with no problem though, so that meant it must have been safe, right? Taking a slow breath, she took a careful step onto the new surface. She released that breath once she took another step as she realized she was not going to fall as the surface was not at all slippery. Of course, the fact that the path lit up as she walked meant that the woman no longer held any interest in the world around her as she smiled brightly at the path.

Her gaze only lifted as the frogs that brightly hopped by Turq hopped by herself as they seemed to set off a chorus from the nearby cranes. Lifting her head, the Princess's brown eyes were met with the beauty of a world she never knew existed. Her jaw dropped in awe as she watched the tall birds move about in with such ease, not even bothered by the world around them. Her eyes went upwards as she watched small white flecks falling from the sky, not cold but shimmering as they fell. This only widened the smile on the woman's face further as she reached her arms outwards and upwards to try and embrace them further. Miru's attention would remain there until the awe-inspiring appearance of the temple would appear before them.

Miru almost didn't want to enter the building as something such as this was truly a sacred place that only those of great power would ever be allowed to enter and yet, there they were, a rude man and a cocky male before her entering as though it were no big deal. Things in this life truly puzzled her, but to live there she had to embrace what was going on, so she too pushed forward and entered the brilliantly colored building. If the outside of the temple were awe-inspiring, then there was no way that the inside was still in reality. The walls were such a brilliant color, colors that would even make the great Kings envious and yet, there they were. Something so pure hidden away in what her father claimed to be a terrible place.

"Father, I must doubt your thoughts of this place," Miru whispered to herself as she looked up to expect ceilings that were not there. In fact, it seemed as though rather than seeing ceilings, clouds sat high above the room, but that couldn't be as they were inside. For a while the princess just stood there, lost in her own thoughts about where she was, how it could exist, and what all of this meant for the family she had left behind.

By the time her gaze returned to the level of those that would walk among her, the brunette found herself very alone. Her own words to herself did not echo in the large room, but there were none to hear what she had to say. She looked this way and that, though she was not able to figure out where either male had gone. A set of spiral stairs before her caught the woman's attention though and she quickly approached them. Laying her hand on the railing, it was cool to the touch though not freezing so she used it as her guide down the spiral stairs. She hopped down the stairs rather than walked, once reaching the bottom she hopped to the solid surface, both feet landing side by side.

When she finally looked up, the scene before her brought a gasp from her throat; an angel hovered not far from her but was only there for a moment before exploding. The movement of what was left of the angel moved quickly making it difficult for Miru to follow, though the sudden light from the staff that Kaine carried gave away its location. She opened her mouth to question was what going on as the red haired male's now-blue eyes locked on her and suddenly it felt as though all air was sucked from her body, yet she did not feel suffocated.

The person that she saw moving about, or rather felt moving about in her, she wanted to follow its movements though Miru found that she could not move. That thought alone brought a panic to her mind's surface, a panic that this being seemed to immediately sense. Though what the being had to say seemed to bring a new fear, one that told her that her secret was no longer what it was supposed to be. She was not sure what this angel was saying, nor what it meant; it spoke in riddles to her. Oddly though, her fears soon seemed to melt away as the being within her seemed to give her a warmth, a comforting warmth of one that seemed to care about her in this new world.

Suddenly it was though that world were rushing around her, colors flying past her as what was with her suddenly left leaving her breathless in the process. As her vision slowly cleared, Miru could feel her legs wanting to fall out from under her, a feeling that Kaine seemed to share as he was supporting himself on bended knee.

The words that he had to say held about as much clarity as did the being within her. Brows furrowed as the princess tried to think of what from her past could possibly bring trouble. There was something about his words that almost warned her, or at least that's what it seemed like, warned her that she was not to ruin what these people of the Banished Lands were given the opportunity at. Turq's sudden piping in made Miru jump as he seemed more than willing to deal with whatever she had unknowingly brought with her.

The conversation before her was playing out with nowhere for her to join in, even with questions and information being thrown at her. With everything going on and what had just happened, Miru was beginning to feel very dizzy and the confusion on her face about the weapon she had been given seemed to only add fuel to the already raging fire of confusion. A new fate? Clearing names? What was all this about? She came from a good family so how was her name in need of clearing? Had she really messed with her own life so much that now her fate was completely rewritten? This was all too much for someone that was but a child the day before to handle. On top of it, she was somehow now to be trained to help hunt someone down? Miru needed to sit, but from how things were going, it didn't look like that would happen anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Anrah had been trying to keep herself busy and out of trouble. From the bag she had hanging on her shoulder, she pulled out a white cloth, one that she had stolen from the brunette woman while she sat in the hot spring. "What can you tell me," she asked the object as she pulled in to her nose. Taking a deep breath the demoness felt a thrill of excitement wash over her, leaving trails of goosebumps along her arms and back. "What do you desire, hmm?" She asked the fabric as though she were the owner of the item. "I do sense a man, a longing for this man, though child, you do something to hide your true intentions." At that point Anrah's eyes had started glowing ever so slightly as she narrowed them. There was something about this woman that did not allow her to see what her true desires were, they either could not have been there at all or perhaps she had just found a way to hide such a thing from a succubus, which was unheard of. Pursing her lips at the item, the black haired woman could see her male companion returning so she quickly shoved the item back into the bag.

What information lie away from the demon that sought it was merely from the fact that Miru's 'intentions' had never matured as her fascination with the man (Aki) were from the mind of an innocent child. Among her dreams to be just like him with his skill and stories, she had asked her parents for a white scarf just like his. They complied, but only as much as they saw fit for a princess and that was by giving the child a new ribbon, a white one to match the color of her guards scarf.

Miru's world seemed to begin to spin instantly as Akiyama's name fell past Kaine's lips. Though he had asked her a question, the way he continued on seemed to say that he did not truly wish to hear the answer, though he definitely seemed to be a different person than before; he was much kinder and much more talkative than back in the village.

The princess narrowed her brown eyes at the male as his voice dropped, his words falling away before she was able to hear them. Then, before she could question him on that, he was up and moving back towards the ground floor. Everything he was saying about growing up was lost on her, she understood not a word of it, but that was because she had never grown up through it and because she was so young her parent's never spoke to her about it.

With everything Kaine knew about her, he never treated her different or appropriately for her title, but then again, isn't that what the young Kiyomi had wanted when she had wished for such a life? It would be something she would have to get used to, though she was enjoying the fact that she didn't have everyone that saw her fussing over her. Though she had been lost in thought, she was still able to pick up some of what the red haired male was saying and it confused her, though he seemed to sense this instantly and confronted the issue head on. Then again, much as everything else that Miru had experienced since she met this male, his explanation of the matter did nothing to really quell her confusion rather than fanning the flames. A souless? Did such a thing truly exist? Her parents had never said so, but what would Kaine gain from lying about such a thing seeing as he was correct about how she had now seen two completely different sides of him.

If Kaine was a souless, why would he want to go with them? How did they not have a choice in this and what would happen should he get his soul back? It seemed like everything that he said was only greeted by even more questions that the woman seemed to come up with and it was becoming frustrating. Exhausted? Well that could have been a word for it seeing as Miru just had some spirit within her and she was going through a mental overload that showed no signs of stopping, but sure, exhausted could always work as a defining word.

She took that cup that he offered her that was strangely cooler than it looked like it should have been from how much steam was coming off the surface of the water. She looked at it for a moment, listening to the slender male before taking a sip. The fluid was warm at first, though as it slid down her throat it was surprisingly cool and seemed to quench her body as though she had been dehydrated for some time. A kiss to her forehead pulled her thoughts and attention from the cup and back to the male. She nodded at his directions before heading out the front to regroup with Turq and Anrah, or at least that was what she had assumed would be what was to happen.

"I cannot learn much from this girl," the blacked haired woman said as she draped herself over her devious beau. "Her items give no story of her, no heartbreak, no longing that would normally bring someone to the city." She then pressed further against the male, nipping at his ear slightly. "Do you really wish to take such a creature under your wing?" It really was a hypocritical question seeing as the male had taken in a succubus.

With her acute hearing, her blue eyes darted back up the path where the saw the woman in question returning to them. "I know not what I can be prepared against with this one," she cooed as she nuzzled her nose into Turq's neck, no more words coming from her as the brunette stopped before them, watching expectantly, though cautiously.

06-10-2015, 02:21 PM

Almost as soon as Miru was before them, Turquine made a quick lunge to catch the fainting woman from her fall. Eyes shifting over to Anrah, the male shrugged his shoulders before offering up his two cents on the situation. "I fear no matter what we do, we're getting screwed up the ass. Might as well join her. From the way Kaine was acting, I think we can assume we'll be rewarded handsomely for our assistance. Besides, this woman and her looks will be the key I need to defeat Perimones."

With the woman still draped in his arms, he gave his partner an uneasy look. "Uhh, what are we to do with her in this for-" that cruel voice from before returned.

"You'll return her to the house where she currently stays."

"Oh so with you."

Kaine's eyes rolled in annoyance as he watched Turq elbow Anrah for he found his comment funny. "Do remind me why I keep you alive."

"Because my dear Anrah would murder you."

"Idiot, I cannot be killed for I am already dead."

Pausing, Turq raised his shoulders up while turning his hands out in defeat. "Oh yeah… Sorry," he said with a sheepish grin. "But anyway, you keep me around to scare off the royal families. We can't be a banished land if we're not crawling with crooked scoundrels and thieves. That's why you keep Anrah around, too. She's one of the best at destroying all that come near our utopia."

Hesitant to agree, Kaine caved with a simple head nod. "Fine, I suppose you can continue to live."

Hand resting on his hip, the redhead paced back and forth for a bit before waving the duo away. "Leave her to me."

Miru's body was light and dainty, making it easy to carry. Most if not all of the townsmen watched in shock as the male carried the fallen woman to her temporary home. Before even rapping on the door, Kaine was met by the same woman that stitched the princess her dress.

"She will sleep for awhile, three days to be exact. Do not be alarmed for its just a part of the ritual. Upon the rising of the third moon, I will fetch her from you and we shall be underway."

Without being invited in, Kaine followed the couple to the spare bedroom they had given to Miru. Once the woman was tucked in bed, Kaine waved the husband and wife from the room. When asked for a cup of tea, he declined the offer for he was not staying long.

Alone with the brunette, Kaine rested the backside of his hand on her forehead. "I do hope you enjoy your nightmares, princess." His lips dripped with brutality for his gesture was one out of cruelty rather than love. After all, when outside the holy land, Kaine's soulless, cold nature was only present. Still, the kiss he placed upon her forehead showed that the angel trapped within was able to break free for just a moment.

It truly was a curse. To be without a heart and soul, Kaine was without compassion or love. Laughter and sorrow were not emotions he could express. In fact, Kaine couldn't express anything than bitterness and hatred for the character of his body was one of wickedness and ice.

Kaine, an angel turned soulless, was once a young apprentice who served a sorcerer of great strength. Under this spell-caster's rule, Kaine was taught the magical ways of life. However, his training was cut short when a vile woman plagued the old sorcerer. In an act of compassion, Kaine slew his master and lord, hoping that his act would bring the ailed man peace and happiness. While committing this act, an angel observed everything. Truly moved by the raw emotion that Kaine expressed, the angel praised the redhead for not seeking vengeance, claiming it to be the first set to holiness.

Although he was unaware of what this meeting meant, Kaine would soon find out his purpose in life.

At the young age of fifteen, Kaine's new home was razed by that same witch as before only she was accompanied by an alchemist and a demon this go around. The three, in their great strength and glory, were able to rip souls straight out of a body and use the absorbed aura to enhance their own power.

Turning his head toward the heavens, Kaine ask whoever watched from above to give him the courage to commit one last act of kindness. With a sure step toward the destructive chaos, Kaine chanted a spell he had learned in a dream.

That spell was an inverser -- a power that would reverse things. The devious trio only scoffed at the boy for they knew he was unable to defeat them for he did not have a heart of darkness.

Then, in a frozen chill, the three villains watched as their souls were ripped from their cores. Swirling round and round, they grew ever larger. Eventually, the souls were breathed in, filling Kaine's chest cavity with their entirety.

In a gasp of air, Kaine's once blue eyes filled with darkness, falling black in color. The cloud of darkness within his eyes swirled and swirled until the darkness was settled, forming a dark rim for his now green irises.

Standing in the middle of the razed town, naked, the redhead looked at himself. No longer able to feel the warmth of the sun or the chill of the snow, Kaine's now green eyes scanned the area. What had happened was replaying over and over in his mind but any emotion attached to it -- and his past -- was lost.

Hand sliding down to his chest, he noticed that the area where his heart resided no longer beat. The peachy flesh was no longer the same for it now bore a shade of gray as well as a large scar shaped like an "X."

Breaking from his past, Kaine slowly pulled from the kiss he had engaged in with Miru. "I feel… nothing," he murmured against her lips.

Gripping the collar of his shirt, he pulled the cloth down to view the scar and discolored flesh. "Like you," he whispered while nipping at her ear, "I have a secret that no one but you now known. I hope you find my past to be the push you need to reconsider your future. My selflessness in the past has caused me to endure a different life. Like you, I met a fairy who promised to change me."

Kaine closed his eyes and re-showed Miru a piece of his past. "What I thought was an angel was really a fairy. And she stayed with me until that very day that I cast my head to the skies and asked for a miracle."

Easing himself off her bedside, the redhead paced in the room before glancing back over at her. "Fairies are like witches, only they try to do good. I only hope you don't meet a similar fate as me," spoke the male but with a child's voice.

With the creaking of the bedroom door, the enchantment Kaine cast shattered into a burst of sparkles. His true form -- a blue eyed boy with a heart as pure as gold -- shifted back into its new form -- the body of a sullen man with envious green eyes.

He exited the room and found himself wandering back to his temple. His past still tore at him and oh how he wished he hadn't ask to reverse the situation. Had he just asked for help, perhaps he would have been spared this cruel fate. Still, what happened, happened and Kaine wouldn't change that for this his single wish removed the three darkest people who walked the earth.

In his room, the soulless Kaine flopped on his bed. "Little does the princess Kiyomi know our fates have been intertwined. Had I not stopped the witch and her henchmen, Kiymoi and her family would have fallen to the hand of the woman."

Head resting against the silk pillow, he stared up into the cloud ceiling. "I wonder, does she remember me and that night. She would have only been three but she was still there. Does she remember the darkness and then the bright light?" A tear slipped from his eyes as he rolled into his sleeping position. "At least she is… safe."

Each of the three days Miru slept, Kaine paid her a visit. It was actually the evening of the third night when the redhead, exhausted despite his inability to sleep, actually found himself able to close his eyes and rest. Perhaps it was just a coincidence that he was able to do this, but Kaine feared it was something far worse. If he was sleeping, it meant that his powers were about to be put to a test, which meant only one thing--bloodshed was approaching.

Sound asleep, Kaine was spooning Miru in the narrow bed. His arms wrapped around her and his one leg was twisted within hers. Like Miru, Kaine was stripped of his youth at such a young age. And, because of this, the male had yet to experience the lust of love or the desire to engage in adult pleasures. Just as naive as she, no one had anything to worry about -- and the lady of the house seemed to notice this. Despite the protest of her husband and Turquine, she allowed the redhead to sleep beside the resting brunette.

"I still think you're crazy, lady," Turq growled. "Any man of his age would know how to woo a woman -- and they would certainly take advantage of one as gorgeous as she!"

The moon was at its peak in the sky and darkness was all around the village. The town, for the most part, was asleep. However, the crack of lightning and the boom of thunder soon peeled all from their slumber.

Sitting up the second before the defining storm let loose its call, Kaine's eyes narrowed and his hair went on ends. Thrusting the blankets off, his once green eyes shimmered an eerier, darker shade of green.

Just then, the walls of the home were ablaze with the licking colors of orange and red. Flames consumed the house and Miru, no longer asleep, found herself surrounded by a sea of flames.

Staff in hand, he slammed it into the earth. The flames were smothered by a blast of ice and snow. Whirling the weapon, he pointed it out of the destroyed walls of the home.

The flags of Miru's kingdom were flapping in the strong wind. Eyes dilated, he made a bee-line for the princess.

"Seize the woman," one of the horseman screamed.

Another one chimed in to remind the soldiers, "All women are to be presented to the king and queen so they can determine if she is the missing princess!"

I cannot let them take Kiyomi. If they seize her, they will kill her for they will assume she stole her identity. They do not believe in the mystical creatures of the land so they cannot be convinced that she was changed by a fairy.

Just then, Turquine, mounting a horse, burst through the back wall. "Miru, Kaine, get on!" Hand ripping Miru from her bed, he flung the woman across the mare's back between he and Anrah.

Flames were approaching, which spooked the horse. Raising onto its hinds, the mighty beast snorted before retreating back out the way it entered. Looking over his shoulder, Turquine sent a panicked look at his partner. "Kaine! No, Kaine! Behind yo-"

A spear pierced through his rib cage, dropping the redhead instantly. Turquine, unable to veil Miru's eyes in time, found himself awestruck at the moment. Get up, Kaine. Get up. You told me the dead can't die. Now get up. Get up! "GET UP!" he belted into the storm. Just as he did, a crack of lightning struck down, landing perfectly on Kaine's fallen body.

Instantly, the soldiers beside the fallen soulless were incinerated. Their bodies jerked across the land as they seized to their deaths. Then, a glowing form started to levitate from the earth. Kaine's body, easily identifiable due to the staff in hand, slowly descended back to the land.

"Don't let him touch the earth," one soldier shouted. Only he was too late in giving his warning for at that moment, Kaine's staff and feet grazed the ground and the land filled with dancing jolts of electricity.

Turquine, knowing that if they lingered would bring Miru to her death, had already pressed onward. Two men were pursuing them but stopped the instant the land was ghosted by the massive lightning attack. Petrified, the two sole survivors retreated, heading back toward the kingdom to inform their lord, Miru's father, of the battle.

Bringing the horse to a stop, Turquine hopped off the beast. Smoke and fog lingered in the air. Trying to look through it, he turned to Anrah for some guidance. Her silence scared him.

"Didn't think I'd live? Tsk, tsk, tsk. What did I tell you. Those without souls can't die."

Kaine, appearing at Miru's right, pulled the woman from the horse. "Good," he said circling the woman, "you're without harm."

"Kaine, what about the hol-"

"It's gone. I destroyed it with that lightning attack." His expressionless face showed no form of remorse but the voice of a boy broke through, hinting that he was truly upset by what he had to do to protect them all.

"Looks like we're the only ones left," Turq's hand landed on Kaine's shoulder. "You did good, kid."

The moment Turquine touched Kaine, the redhead's body shifted into its true form -- the form of a teenage boy. Blue eyes returning and tears in the corner of his eyes, the child smiled up at Turquine and then Miru. "I had to protect the-"

A sudden noise caused Kaine to transform back into his grown form. Snarl revealing his teeth, the soulless stared through the rain and into the night. "We need to move. We're not safe in this neck of the woods."

Kaine rose his hands to his lips and whistled, only not a sound was heard. But the call seemed to work for within seconds of the action, the sound of hooves could be heard. The whinny of a horse was followed by a large, white stallion appeared in the mist.

"You ride with me," Kaine instructed Miru. Offering her assistance, the pair mounted the large cream colored horse. Head turning toward Turquine and Anrah, he nodded, signally that they could ride on.

06-10-2015, 02:22 PM

Just as she was nearing Turq and Anrah, Miru began puzzling over what was going to happen or least of all, what she should say. A darkness began creeping over her mind before creeping into her vision rendering any worry she might have had useless. She could feel herself slipping away, though her body was too numb to react to catch herself or even to begin panicking at what was happening.

Anrah watched the child fall with little interest, even as Turq moved to catch her. Kaine had seemed to reappear with the group before the demoness had time to respond to her master and this irritated her. Pursing her lips slightly, she bore a cold gaze into the male; there was a connection between the girl and Kaine, the dark haired woman knew it. She may not have known what connection it was, but she could not read normal adult desires from them and even since she had met the male, Kaine had been one of the extremely few that showed no interest in her womanly assets.

Being the creature that she was, Anrah had never seen Kaine as himself, though even then, something in her mind told her that things would not change between them. Even with how he was now, he and Turq fought through a smug look crossed her pale features at the mention of how she would kill the red head should he do anything to harm her lover. Kaine's response was the same as it always had been which was something that the succubus was constantly trying to figure out how to defeat; she was a stubborn one and would not accept the fact that he could not be killed in his current state.

At the same time, the woman could hardly complain about the responsibilities that he had given her. Even for the 'purity' that he worked with, the redhead was a dark man when it came to maintaining the name of the Banished Lands. Oh how many men of royalty and servitude had she managed to convert to darker paths? She could hardly keep count which was something that the succubus prided herself for. Even with that, she was hardly enthused when Kaine had at first nominated them to take care of the brunette; Anrah was not one to share space with her men very lightly if it did not immediately benefit her. If Turq was not going to object, she would, though lucky for all of them, it did not come to the wrath of a demon to make the final decision.

A defiant look came to the woman's face as she watched Kaine take the girl with him. Her eyes flashed to her dark haired beau once again; they would have much to discuss if they were to be aiding with whatever Kaine had planned for this woman. She wasn't entirely thrilled about the idea, but if it pulled them from Twin Falls, even for a little while, Anrah would be very pleased.

Chiyoko opened the front door of the home she and her husband shared upon hearing a loud rap. Her husband had stepped out once again, probably to go collect more supplies from neighboring towns, though when she opened the door, the last person she expected to see was Kaine, at least this soon. She looked upon the cold male with soft eyes, nodding calmly to what he was telling her. This news was nothing new as many of the new townsfolk started off in a very similar manner before moving on to their own lives after the three day period. Having anticipated this, the woman had a room already prepared for Miru. The portly woman then stepped to the side to allow Kaine more room as he entered her home, moving about it with ease.

Once he had the brunette in bed, Chiyoko tried to offer him tea to keep him around a bit longer; it seemed that whenever he was dropping someone off like this, he was always in a hurry to return to the top of his hill. Even with how long he had been with the village, he was still a great mystery to everyone, even to the old woman and her husband. He never was the most pleasant fellow to deal with, but he only seemed to do what he saw was best for the people that lived out here so they never bothered prying into his life; as everyone else in the Banished Lands, they were all there for their own reasons and should they wish to share they could, but other than that, no one seemed to particularly care.

As always, the redhead declined her offer, though he didn't look as though he were going to bolt out the door after laying Miru on her bed. Rather, he waved the elder away and perhaps it was the fact that he had taken an interest in showing compassion towards someone or just the fact that he was willing to remain among the townsfolk a bit longer, but the woman complied as she nodded and closed the door to grant the two some privacy.

Miru was lost in the darkness of her mind, no images coming to keep her company as she lay there, lost to the world. A cold feeling ripped through her spine for a moment before it seemed to be frightened off by that same feeling of company the brunette had felt back in the temple. Somewhere in her mind, the Princess sought out the kindness, though it seemed to vanish just as quickly as it had arrived. At that point, it felt as though she were scrambling through her own thoughts; things that she remembered others she did not making her unsure as to if what she was seeing was true or not.

There were images of a past that she did not know flashing before her eyes; images of magic that quickly lead to pain and death. She could see things from the eyes of the one that had gone through them, or was going through them as she considered it all but a dream. As the images played on, a deep fear rooted itself within her chest as she saw three individuals destroy everything that lay before her. She could feel desperation to stop the evil that was taking place and a great price that had to be paid in order to do so. The last thing she could feel was the feeling of being lost before the emotion seemed to just fall away. As the images faded, she was greeted by a pair a green eyes, ones that she knew all too well from the evil that lurked behind them. As the green eyes came into view, so did a large 'X', though the body it was attached to was not something she could see.

A sadness welled up within the Princess, though she could not find a way out from the darkness that surrounded her. She wanted to reach out and quell the feeling that Kaine had felt, though she knew from having already met him in the town, she would not be able to do so; that did not stop her from wanting to at least. Her hands reached out into the darkness and as she did, her vision was filled with life and color once again as the story seemed to continue without her control. Before her was a brilliantly glowing figure with delicate wings, very similar to the creature she had run into in the forest, the one that started this new life for her. The creature then seemed to take other forms, some more pure and others of creatures of darker intent before the darkness came once again. This time it seemed to pull her back into the deepest darkness of her mind.

The darkness did not leave her alone, it tormented the once child princess with images of a time that though was not long ago, was not something she could fully remember. The castle was in an uproar, something terrible had happened and the guards were all in a panic. Kiyomi could recall smoke, though it had not come from fire. The guards had been yelling about people having snuck into the castle in the night, the smoke hiding their travels as they made their way through the castle in the confusion.

The small child sat up quickly her in overly large bed, though she saw nothing as she choked on the smoke that filled her room. Tears sprang from her eyes as she heard sickening wet noises followed by thuds before nothingness filled the air. She sat there as silent as she could hoping that whatever had caused the noises did not know she was there. In the darkness, she saw the outline of a gloved hand starting to reach out towards her so she closed her eyes and screamed as loud as she could, the action tearing at her throat leaving it sore.

The hand had been moving slowly towards her, though shortly after she started screaming, something collided with her toddler form pushing her back onto the bed. Even through her closed eyes, she could see a blinding light through her eyelids as she gripped the person that had her tighter.

The light finally faded and the Princess found herself in the arms of her personal guard, Akiyama. "You came for me," she said, her mind still fresh with the image from a dark night that had locked itself away from her memory. Her voice though, it wasn't what she was expecting and as she looked down at her own figure, she was greeted with the body of her older self, clad in the yellow clothing that the old woman of the Banished Lands had made for her.

When she looked back up at the samurai clad male, she was greeted with a soft look and smile, one that was to be reserved for those whom shared their lives together in intimacy. Kiyomi returned the smile before lifting a hand to touch the cheek of the male she had looked up to for so long as he held her so gently. She lifted her head towards his as he mirrored her movements. Kiyomi was not entirely sure what she was doing, nor what it meant, at least from the perspective of a child. There was something in her though, that was willing her onward, to meet with the male in such a manner that only adults would. Yet, just as she was about to witness the outcome of what was going on, her mind faded back to the darkness that was begging for her return.

Miru was not sure how long she had been out, but she was aware of one thing after all that time and that was warmth, the warmth of another that was close to her. Absently she snuggled against the one that person as her mind filled with the excitement of being able to interact at least a little with the real world again as it meant release from the darkest corners of her mind that had been haunting her with images that she had long forgotten.

Chiyoko's husband had returned early the next day to see that Kaine had returned with Miru, something that like his wife, he had expected. However, what he hadn't expected was that his wife would be so willing as to let the dark demeanored male not only visit the sleeping woman so often, but even share a bed with him. He tried to argue with his wife much like Turq was, though it was as though she knew something that they didn't with the way she just waved off the issue. This was something that intrigued Anrah as well; she could care less for the two being in the same bed, but she could feel no lust, no scents of love making of any kind. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the closed door, crossing her legs as she sat on the arm of the couch Turq was seated in.

A noise in the distance caught the acute hearing of the demon that took her attention from her door watching. Her bright blue eyes narrowed in the direction that would lead travellers out of the Banished Lands, though she said nothing as she knew her warning had already come too late. The next boom of thunder left the house in darkness, any lighting having been some how 'put out'. With the storm at her side, the succubus had forced the fires in the home out to pitch them all into darkness to allow her to work without the humans being able to see what was going on. The slender woman stood in the darkness, easily able to see Turq beside her only because of her acute senses. Silently moving away from the people in the living area, Anrah cast an arm into the air, dark purple wings jutting out of her back as a cloud of darkness erupted around her, encasing herself, Turq, and the elderly couple in its grasp just as the walls around them burst into flames.

Anrah let her cloak of shadows fall off almost as quickly as they had been summoned, her wings vanishing with it leaving a 'surprised' looking Anrah to look up at the faces of large, prized steeds and their armored riders.

A scream from the other end of the house let all know that Miru had woken, the image she was greeted with reminding her all too well of the images that had visited her in her sleep. Covering her head as she screamed, the brunette acted more out of reaction to fear than actual survival. A sudden chill gave the woman enough courage to look up from her terror to be greeted with the sights of weather from colder months all around her. Just as she went to move closer to Kaine, as he was the only one near her at the time that could offer any sort of protection, her eyes focused on the images lost in the smoke before her; she recognized those banners. Those colors belonged to her Kingdom, her father's Kingdom. He had sent out the guard in search of her and the thought of that drained all the heat and color from her body.

The sight of the redhead moving towards her broke her from her stunned trance as she forced herself to her knees to reach his grasp. She couldn't be found out, not so soon, her parents would be fine without her for a little while. Or so that was what she told herself, she had not considered the amount of pain they were in from her disappearance and the desperation that was behind sending so many skilled warriors on such a journey. She could just about reach Kaine when she was suddenly ripped from her bed, a scream quickly tearing from her throat before she realized whom it was that had actually pulled her. Once Miru realized she was with 'good' people, her attention quickly returned to the green eyed male that Turq had been yelling for.

The Princess's brown eyes widened as she saw one of the guards crane his arm back; her father wasted no time in making sure all of his personal men were very skilled in combat and in such an occasion, she knew those would be the men he would send out. Tears started welling up even before the man had released his weapon. "No," she whimpered under her breath and even though she knew what was to happen, she couldn't look away. The weapon easily found its home within the male that had kept her company while she had been asleep and an agonized scream ripped through her chest, "KAINE!"

Miru frantically tried to pull herself from the horse, she had to get on the ground and get to the male though Anrah's weight across her back made it impossible to move. "NO!" She shriek, more at the woman anchor than anything. "KAINE!" She screamed, pleading into the storm, her yelling easily being able to drawn unwanted attention. "Get up!" Her voice was starting to fade into the screams and storm of the night as her head dropped, tears falling, her chest heaving from sobs. "Please get up," she whispered defeatedly.

A crack of lightning shot from the clouds, its brightness drawing the woman's attention as it was not something she could ignore even through closed eyes. The bright light flashed through her mind like the memory that was played for her in her dreams, though she was never revealed its true ending, save for being reunited with Akiyama once again.

Watching the reaction that Kaine's body had to the electricity, Miru pushed her upper body up, watching the scene play out. Anrah had relinquished her restraint on the brunette as she was no longer trying to whisk her way off to be captured. The scene that unfolded was something that the Princess instantly regretted; as Kaine regained his foothold, she watched as armored guards wreathed from the electricity that bounded from him. Many of her fathers best soldiers fell, their bodies unmoving. In her shock, Turq urged the horse onward, moving them further from the remains of the village.

Anrah looked to Turq as he stopped the horse, her attention soon turning back to the village where she sensed very little if anything from any survivors. From those that lived, she could feel the pain of loved ones lost, either taken by the royal guard or killed trying to protect the others. Her gaze slowly returned to be greeted by a worried expression from Turq. She knew he did not like her silence, as that usually only happened when something bad was approaching or there was much to asses and if that were the case, the village had suffered greatly from what had happened. Yet, even knowing this worry, the most the succubus did was blink at the male, though the arrival of Kaine quickly took over the situation.

Miru was still lost to the situation they had just left that it took her a second to realize who had pulled her from the horse and stood circling her once again. A wave of relief rushed over the Princess as she smiled calmly up at the taller male, though as from training as what her blood line was, she remained silent as Kaine and Turq spoke with one another. A confused look crossed Miru's face, though it soon softened with the look that the now blue-eyed Kaine had given her, though as she went to move towards him, a noise in the distance brought the male back to his usual cold state.

The brunette's weight rocked back on her heels slightly as Kaine reacted quickly to whatever he sensed was happening. Miru was quickly learning that she was going to have to become much more alert if she was going to survive out in this new life, she couldn't always rely on those around her, after all, Akiyama wouldn't have done that.

Within moments a beautiful white steed appeared before them, one that would easily rival any of the horses in the King's stables. Kaine easily slid onto the horse, offering her a hand to help her up, an aid that Miru willing accepted. Once seated on the creature, she wrapped her arms around the male's slender torso, giving him a squeeze as she whispered, "I'm glad you're alright."

Anrah loosely held onto Turq, her arm draped onto his lap as she peered at the white object in her bag, the ribbon that she had stolen from Miru. "Why do you suppose the King's men ventured all the way to the Banished Lands?" She asked, her usual disapproving tone showing through. "If their Princess has gone missing, wouldn't they benefit from a quiet venture in search of her rather than outright attacking Twin Falls?" The succubus thought through the possibilities that would have led to such an attack, though nothing was fitting together quite right. She thought back to the carnage that had lay waste to the first town that offered refuge to those forced from Kingdom lands and left behind, forgotten by all was a little stuffed black and white pony that lay on the bed, helpless in the rain.

01:26 PM

With the princess safe in his arms, Kaine let out a long held breath. "Tch, like I could die," he scoffed, his dark nature evidently still in command of his body. This frustrated Kaine who, in his mind, had no intention of unleashing such harsh words on the woman. But what could he do? He was cursed with this burden. Forever enduring the envy of the witch, the wrath of the demon, and the pride of the alchemist, that was the fate of Kaine. Despite this fate, Kaine was able to communicate to Miru in the only way possible. Sliding one of her hands to his heart, Kaine could send Miru visions of what he really felt. The vision he sent her was one of happiness. A small fragment of a history, a time when things were easier and things much lighter and happier. It was just a small clip from a time when Kaine was planting a sunflower in the earth beside his who laid knitting in the middle of the lawn. Although, Miru wouldn't see that part of his past for Kaine only let her see his wide grin and gleaming blue eyes.

Riding in silence, the male couldn't help but be lost within himself. The holy temple was gone. Never again would he be able to seek the answers he needed to reverse the curse. Not that he wanted to. No, no, Kaine just wanted to alter the magical spell. Rather than being a soulless, Kaine wanted to become a guardian, a guardian angel.

In the marble columns of the temple, Kaine had cast a great many spells that showed him the ends of the earth. During one of his searches, he found a small hint that would open a new set of doors. What he saw allowed him to not only convert from a soulless to an angel, but it also allowed him to keep his magical powers. It was a peek at his future, which was found in a glowing crystal ball. Most likely a fortune teller's crystal ball, Kaine clung to that dream that, one day, he would be considered amongst the living, thus allowing him to age, love, and die.

"My rider, what grieves you?" The cream colored horse spoke in the same tongue of Miru and company.

Hand stroking the horse's muscular neck, Kaine tilted to the side and gave the silver-eyed stallion a good look in the eye. Shifting back into a less awkward position, Kaine peeked over his shoulder to find Miru still clinging to him. With much caution, Kaine readjusted their riding location, putting Miru at the font so Kaine could now hold onto her.

"Lesson one, taming a horse. Spirit is the ideal horse to work on. He's easy to command but he's also rather stubborn. If you can learn how to order him to do as you beckon, you will be able to tame any horse."

"Oh rider Kaine, you ought to mention to the wee little lass that I am no ordinary horse. Like you, I too, am not considered amongst the living." Whining, the creature's tail swished, hitting Miru's arms. "I'm not like the horses you're familiar with. I'm a wild one. You cannot expect a wild creature to have proper etiquette. You must be firm but you must also let us know that you intend us no harm. Give us some freedom but also guide us so we know that you're watching out back just as much as we're watching yours."

With Kaine and Miru preoccupied, Turquine could finally speak openly to his mate. "I agree, love. I agree. Why would they attack us? Something is fishy and it has everything to do with that woman. We best be on our a-game if we want to pry her open and figure out what she's hiding."

Tapping a finger on his chin, the purple eyed male wore a grimace. "If the princess is missing… and they are attacking Twin Falls…" he paused to let it all sink in. "You don't suppose war is on the horizon, do you?" He worried his lower lip. "I don't like the feel of any of this." It truly was starting to cause Turquine to think twice about following Kaine into the mouth of a lion -- or at least that's what he envisioned now.

"Oh Anrah, what should we do? Do we make a break for it the second those two fall asleep? Or do we keep with them, hoping that all will be fine."

The raven was feeling all his strength being stripped away with the harsh rain. Each drop that touched him, wore him out more than the last. Heavy lids and a grief-stricken heart, the tanned male found himself lost in his mind. Not knowing what to do, he desperately sought out Anrah's help. However, Turq knew in such situations, the woman would often think with her own selfish desires, which, for the most part, aligned with his own ambitions. But, right now, Turq was more concerned with living Miru alone. Something about her drew him to her. It was as if she had cast a spell on him, forcing him to stick by her side.

"What is she, Anrah?" Turquine directed his eyes toward the brunette riding with Kaine. "Is she even human?"

Another question happened into his mind. "Why did they attack us? What did we do? We need to investigate this further. At the next town, we need to listen to the word on the street. Perhaps there is more behind this attack."

Then, a thought crossed his mind. Jaw ajar, his eyes narrowed as he sought Miru's body out. He didn't have to say a word for Anrah knew what he was thinking just be reading his body language.

Was it possible? Was Miru really a wanted criminal? The wanted criminal that kidnapped the princess? And her coming to Twin Falls… marked the town's doom?

But Kaine? Would he really align with her? He could see everything. Or at least that's what he led people to believe.

"They seem awfully chummy. Is it possible that they've fooled us both? Are they in a league? Do they work for the king?"

Falling silent, Turquine's blood boiled and the cold rather seemed to turn to steam the instant it hit his body. Pissed, betrayed, and disgusted, the raven relied on Anrah now more than ever. Despite their relationship, Turq needed Anrah more than she needed him -- and that was the sad truth.

The taming lesson was fleeting for with each moment they pressed onward, Miru and company got wetter and wetter. Soon enough, all four were soaked straight through their clothing.

The conversation between the demon and the outlaw came to a halt as did the practice lessons between Miru and Spirit. Kaine, whose hair was matted to his face, spoke. "We need to seek shelter. It doesn't look as if this storm is letting up and if we - well you two - stay out any longer, you'll catch some sort of illness."

Turning to Anrah, Kaine tempted the woman. "I don't suppose you can find us a cave. I mean, how could you? You're not a bat. You've no echo sonar."

She would take the bait and prove them all wrong. In no time, the four would be drying off in a cavern before a fire that Kaine would have created. Before the dancing flames, the three would sleep and while they dreamed, Kaine would keep watching, stopping anything that dared interrupt their slumber.

Granted, that vision was only possible should Anrah be blessed with the senses needed to hunt down a cave. Right now, they were all in Anrah's hands. And Kaine hated that, knowing that he would 'owe her' in the future.

Wandering for quite some time now, Akiyama was beginning to doubt his tracking and navigational skills. Seriously, he had been wandering for about three days and still hadn't found a place that he deemed "safe enough" to stay at for a decent amount of time. Akiyama found a few little inns but was unable to stay at them for more than a day as rumor of a wanted knight spread like wildfire across the land. Soon his portrait was nailed to trees and a hefty reward was placed on his body. In addition to his wanted poster, there was also a poster of Kiyomi, the missing princess. Unlike his bounty, which would take him dead or alive, Kiyomi's reward money was for someone that brought her back, preferably, alive.

"Makes me sick," he loathed the poster of the princess. "No money should be needed for saving her. People should just look for her on their own. This reward money will only bring out the darkness in man."

Cutting the wanted posters off the tree, the purple-haired ex-knight shoved them into the folds of his outfit. He kept them only so he could act like a bounty hunter. After all, the land was crawling with them now and, should he be suspected of being the wanted knight, he would need a way out of it. Showing off the poster and declaring that he, too, was hunting the knight seemed like a good plan. Granted, who was to say it was foolproof?

After a good ride toward whatever the hell direction he was moving, Akiyama found himself at the foot of a valley village. Keeping the horse tied to a tree in the forest (if someone saw the horse, especially a horse of that nature, they would know he was from the royal land), the male ascended into the valley. Small cobblestone houses lined the area, looking quaint as ever. Passing two purple haired people on his walk toward the inn, he found himself at ease. Originally, he thought his hair color was rare. But, with magic surrounding the planet, anything was possible.

The saloon-like doors on the inn welcomed him inside. With a simple push, he found himself in the midst of seventeen men, each of which were drinking lavishly. Not wanting to stick out, the male sauntered on toward the bar. As he went to place his order, he was informed that they were fresh out of liquor and that tea was free on the house. Not being a fool, Akiyama graciously accepted the hot drink and parked himself on a stool located at the end of the bar.

He was on his third day of being a wanted man. These people, for whatever reason, seemed uninterested with the wanted posters for he couldn't spy one anywhere in the inn. Then, one man walked into the door waving a poster, a poster that bore his face. Trying not to act skittish, Akiyama leaned in a bit to overhear what the male was saying.

"'swear to the heavens, we don't ask for dis type of publicity. The royals need to get their arses out of our land. We've been without the rule for seven years now. Why'd we want to go back." Tearing the poster in two, the male flung it into the fire. "I mean, come on. They dun believe we exist."

A catching noise much like a hyena caused Akiyama to jump. Never before had he heard such a ghastly noise. It was creepy beyond belief and made him want to leave this place. However, a woman with thick hair and a lovely face seemed to distract him from his leaving.

"This handsome face is new around here. And he smells like he's not showered in a week." She moved toward him. Her hair started to move together, forming ears, and a tail sprung out from beneath her skirt. Sniffing him, the female with the now yellow eyes barked to a few of the other men in the inn. "Looks like he's just a hume." Growling, her clawed hands found their way to Akiyama's neck. "Are you here to kill us because, handsome, you'll fail."

Gasping for air, the male was able to utter out a "no," which caused the wolf woman to release his windpipe from her grip. "No," he huffed while taking in as much air as he could, "I'm a… escort. I'm definitely not a werewolf hunter."

One of the more burly men at a table on the far side of the room laughed. "And escort? As in a whore?" The room erupted in laughter.

"E-eh? What? No. No! I'm a guide. Sheesh, I'm not a whore." Insulted, the blue eyed beau moved his feet but found himself being shoved back into his seat.

"Stick around, handsome. I could you a bone like yours." Fluttering her eyes, the werewolf woman pulled Akiyama into a back room. The men left upfront broke into a howl and, soon after, filed out of the inn. Now only this werewolf and Akiyama occupied the inn.

Removing his pants was easy. Having her way with him was even easier. Nuzzling the male as they laid in the open room sprawled out on the floor, the white haired woman moved so that she mounted the male. "The name's Xene Fang." Licking his bare chest, she moved her lips down to where she pleased. Looking up at him, she cooed, "Handsome, don't tell me your last was your first."

Annoyed, her comment instantly killed his mood. Rolling over and collecting his garments, he tossed them on. "What's it matter," he growled.

"Aww, handsome, don't be offended." Pulling him back, Fang wrapped him in her warm embrace. "I'm just saying that a puppy like yourself is a rare thing to come by. It's not often that someone such as yourself could even endure me. The fact that you're still alive and in one piece tells a story." Her claws ran down his chest. "You're the knight they seek."

The color drained from his face. He wanted to escape but he couldn't.

"Shhh, your secret is safe with me, handsome." Kissing the side of his lips, she whispered into his ears, "I will protect you if you can help me. If you cross me, I will off you and turn your head into the king. So watch your step, handsome."

Akiyama's emotions were going rampant. The woman seduced him and was now using him. Just his luck! He just couldn't woo a woman without there being a hidden agenda, or at least that was what he was beginning to feel. Granted, his first mate, the Yuua Princess Helena, was in love with him but, due to the circumstances, he was unable to be with her for if he were found out, he would be killed.

Caving to the werewolf's demands, Akiyama found himself behind another day in his journey for that day was spent learning various positions. It was exhausting and it actually prolonged his leave by another day. Now five days after his banning, he was finally ready to move again. Fang, still attached to him at the hip, came along. However, before they could leave, Fang equipped Akiyama with a collar, symbolizing their contract -- that he was to serve her if she were to keep him from being found out.

No longer needing his horse, the male gave it to the pack as a peace offering for stealing their only female that was capable of producing offspring. Mounting a larger than average wolf, Fang, the two rode off toward Twin Falls with the hopes of finding the answers Fang sought. During all her years of working at the inn, the white haired woman had heard rumors of a holy man whose powers were peerless. He was said to have red hair and green eyes that could cripple hope. It was said that he lived atop a mountain and, atop that mountain, stood his temple -- the temple that could be used to find the first step toward Fang's quest.

By the end of that first week, the two had finally made it without the outer limits of the city. Fang, fed up with the ran, transformed back into her womanly form.

"Sorry, handsome. We're walking from here. It's bad enough I stink of a wet dog. I do not need to smell worse."

Laughing, Akiyama slipped the woman's hands into his own. "You've done well, Fang." Kissing her cheek, they moved toward their destination. However, a large crack of thunder deterred them momentarily. Whimpering, Fang requested that they turn back. Akiyama, sensing bloodshed, wanted to press on.

Soon enough, they were upon the land that now stood in ruins. They were too late. The damage had been done.

"That white light and that thunderous boom…" the blue eyed beau turned to Fang, "were they…"

"From a sorcerer, yes." Fang's noise sniffed the bloody air. "Hell was unleashed here. We should look to find survivors. You check over there, I'll go over here."

Pilfering through the endless piles of rubble and ruin, Akiyama was able to turn up nineteen bodies, seven of which bore the kingdom's crest. Finally, he happened upon a living soul. Pulling the figure from the ashes, Akiyama wasn't hesitant in giving the person mouth-to-mouth. Within moments of receiving air, the person grasped for air.

"Stable boy, what happened here," Akiyama asked, noting his attire and assuming his role as a stable boy.

Panting, he drew his hand over his brows. "We were ambushed. The royal guards attacked the place. Kaine… Kaine tried to save us from the attack but, in doing so, destroyed everything."

"Kaine?" Shaking the fading male, Akiyama asked again, "Kaine? Who's Kaine?" But it was too late. The stable boy had passed on to another life. He was no longer useful.

Rising, he tossed the body onto the growing pile. "Are you having better luck," he yelled into the rain. Receiving silence, he assumed Fang was having just as rotten of luck.

"Look," the woman said while emerging from the rain. "One little girl went to heaven without her pony." Handing the precious stuffed creature to Akiyama, she felt tears swell up in the corner of her eyes. "So young. She shouldn't have been subjected to this kind of hor-" she blinked, "Akiyama? Aki, are you okay?"

Dilated eyes looked down at the plush horse in his hands. Its shape, color, scent, and size were all too familiar. Trying to keep his composure, he held his breath. Holding the tears back wasn't possible for they cracked through the grasp between his closed lids. Dropping to his knees and holding the creature to his chest, he sobbed as the storm raged on around him.

"Aki…" Fang whispered in the rain while stretching her arms out to embrace the male. But, before she touched him, the woman felt an aura that prohibited her from touching him. He was in mourning for a reason she now understood. That small toy belonged to the missing princess, that same princess Akiyama was sworn in to protect.

Dropping to her knees, mimicking Akiyama's grieving, Fang shifted into a wolf and cocked her head toward the hidden moon. Singing a sad, mournful lullaby in the harshness of the storm, Fang wouldn't stop her howling until Akiyama's tears ceased and, from the looks of things, they wouldn't dry up anytime soon.

06-10-2015, 02:25 PM

Miru tried not to let Kaine's reply bother her; she had seen the better side of him and understood, at least a little bit, why he was the way he was. Still, even with that, it did hurt that he seemed to care so little, even if that weren't the case. The female sat, waiting curiously as the redhead moved her hands. Once he stopped, a happier image of the boy before her came into view and it made the Princess smile as she gave the male a reassuring squeeze confident that the Kaine from the temple was still there, somewhere.

A sudden voice from below them caused the Princess to jump as she looked down at the white creature they were riding. Kaine acted as though a horse speaking was the most natural thing in the world as he pried the woman from his back to slide her to sit before him. As comforting as it was to have the male at her back, she just could not wrap her head around the fact that this horse was talking to them. Granted, it was probably a good thing that he had moved her, lest she would have fallen off the creature.

She stared at the horse in awe, jumping slightly when its thick tail made contact with her arm. Miru had ridden plenty of horses back at her father's kingdom, led by one of the stable boys of course, but this, this was something new entirely. She wasn't entirely sure why they were teaching her this, though that must have meant it was something she was going to be needing in the near future. She tried to recall how the men at the castle would be have and how they would treat their horses, though she was never fond of the idea of physcially hitting one of them. She could understand guiding and watching out for each other, just as long as she didn't have to hit one in order to be firm with them.

"What do you mean by firm?" Miru finally asked, rather wishing to know ahead of time than should the issue ever arise. She placed both her hands on either side of the steeds thick neck, his being just as strong, if not stronger than those that her kingdom owned. They were not like this horse though and that made the Princess question just why her father locked out such beauty and magic, not to own but to live among the rest of their people. Seeing this place told the brunette that she had much to learn, much more than living behind castle walls could have ever taught her. Perhaps it was the fact that her brain was still maturing beyond the beliefs of a child that kept the Princess from flipping out entirely, or perhaps she was not entirely aware of the fact that this was reality and not some dream. Either way, time would tell just how badly this would impact the woman's mental state as everything began to sink in.

Anrah drug her nails up and down the tanned male's legs as she leaned against him allow the vibrations of his talking to rumble against her. Her blue eyes had been glowing slightly ever since the attack on Twin Falls, but that power behind the meaning had been directed at the duo before them for quite some time. "Should a war be coming because of this, I do not know why the King would jump to the Banished Lands first. Surely there are enough kingdoms out there that would threaten the life of his family before those that have sought out a new life here," the demon spoke fluidly, almost too calm for the given situation.

For as long as she had been around, this had only been the second time where the demoness had a hard time to get a reading off of a person, the first time being with the male that held the brunette so protectively. The object of the girl's that she carried with her only offered up so much, yet none of it included any sort of lusting emotions that any human of her age would have gone through a number of times, unless she was raised in a dark room all by herself that is.

She thought over possible actions that they could take and where it could lead them. Should trouble be chasing after Miru and Kaine, it would be best for the duo to part from them as everyone knew, they were more than capable of getting themselves into trouble. On the other hand, what if the key to calming the roused Turquine came from sticking around the two oddities? Then again, if they were around them, that hardly left the lustuous duo to their own means which was not acceptable in the least.

It wasn't until Turq started prying further into the new woman that the succubi broke from her trance-like thoughts. She nodded slowly at the question replying, though hesitantly, "She is human, at least as far as I am to read. She becomes difficult to read, as though a large part of her life was just erased, all the emotions that would have brought her to this point, they are nowhere in her conscious." She shook her head before adding, "If she is not, then she is some creature that I have yet to encounter, which is impossible."

The woman hummed for a moment, leaning further against her mate. Closing her eyes she continued to think as the rain splattered against her face, though to anyone looking, they would have pegged her for being at peace rather than in thought. Anrah chuckled at Turq's thought before saying, "They seem far too naive to have planned much of anything out to be honest. I may not be able to read their desires, but hun, I can tell you that Miru would have wound up dead had she not run into the old man. She doesn't know anything about anything out here. Then again, I'm sure even the stable boys could pick that up."

The succubus sat up, her glowing orbs fixating on the female once again. "She definitely does not belong in the Banished Lands that's for sure, but why is she here then?" It was times like these where Anrah was glad she had been around as long as she had and was born the horned demon she was seeing as there really wasn't much that could work her up as it would a human. Then again, these bad moods that Turq had made him all the more delectable.

The words that came from before them drew the woman's eyes to a fine lined glare back to the redhead. She despised this creature on more than one occasion, this being one of them. "And what would it serve me to aid you holy boy? Hmmm?" She retorted smartly as she crossed her arms under her chest, noticeably lifting her breasts. One quick look back at her defeated mate was enough to change her mind though, she couldn't have him getting sick because unlike Kaine, she had no healing abilities.

Her orbs instantly darted into the distance, her gaze piercing through the rain as though it weren't even falling and the sun had been high in the sky. She did not have sonar like a bat, but her senses were probably the best of the group, though she wasn't sure about the horse. She directed Turq to lead them on ahead of the duo in question and it didn't take long for her to spot a cave tucked in a hillside, surrounded by bushes and other dripping foliage.

After the group made their way to the caves, Anrah instructed the group to let the horses go seeing as if anyone were to have followed them, the could not follow the hooves directly to their hideout. Once inside, the demoness leaned against one wall as the boy made a fire. He owed him, he owed her big time for this and she would be sure to remind him of that fact.

Anrah lay with her mate, though like Kaine, she did not sleep. It wasn't that she couldn't, it was more that sleep just wasn't so much her thing as she didn't have to do it. Her gaze would fall between Kaine and Miru time and time again when she would open her eyes, not fully trusting the two as they were not as open to her as any other human. She watched as the girl curled up by the fire, though stayed particularly close to the male. Interesting to grow so attached to one you have just met, the succubus thought to herself as she closed her eyes once again.

02:38 PM

Turquine had a plan but that plan required some crafty work from his partner and the utmost amount of trust. Pulling back the demon's hair, he nibbled on her ear ever so gently while pushing words out of his teeth. The raven had to be careful with his voice for if he spoke too loud, Kaine and Miru would be alerted to his devious plan.

"Anrah, I need you to trust me. I'm going to seduce Miru. But to do so, I need you to get Kaine out of this cave. Tell him to go hunting with you. Or have him gather firewood. Something that will allow Miru and I to be alone in this cave."

"Look at her now, she's growing tired. In time she'll be asleep and that is when we should make our move. You get him out and I'll creep on over. I'll force myself upon her and, you, you need to find time to come back, without alerting Kaine, and read her. Perhaps she's suppressed the feelings? Maybe she was raped and moved those horrid thoughts from her mind. I think, if I force myself upon her, the feelings will reemerge and you'll be able to read all about it."

Kissing the side of her lips, Turquine rolled back into his sleeping spot. "Good night, darling," he said with a wink before rolling over toward the darkness that somehow escaped the glow of the fire.

Within about thirty minutes, Turquine was asleep -- or at least he acted as if he was. His stomach, almost on cue, let out a rumble. Timing was everything, though. If Kaine wasn't willing to leave Turq and Miru asleep in a cave, that Anrah would have to use her charm and cunning wits to get the redhead out of the cave. Granted, it shouldn't be too hard for Kaine was already starting to realize that the princess, like Turq, was in need of food and warmth.

With the fire dying down due to the lack of dry wood, the green-eyed beau shot the only other person who was awake a plea for help. Not quite sure what to do, his eyes fell on Anrah who, despite his distrust in her, he would need to learn to rely on… yet again.

He probably stayed like that for a good hour or so. He would have stayed there longer had wolf woman noted his discoloration. "Come, Aki, we need to get you out of the rain."

"No," he barked at her comment, "I deserve this. This is my punishment. This is the heaven's wrath and my much needed punishment. Had I not left Kiyomi's bedside, she would not be dead. It's all my fault. Why was I so blinded by lust that I couldn't see that the one person who truly loved me was falling victim to my sinful ways. Her innocence," his red eyes looked up at Fang, "will never flood the kingdom walls again. Her joyous laughter won't cause the kingdom to rejoice and be merry. Her child mind can't bring hope to the faces of those grieved with sorrow if she, the princess of hope, was taken from this time."

Hands balling into fists, the rogue knight pushed the mushy earth below him. "Her rule would have been glorious. A new found era of peace and prosperity would have guided the land with gold and happiness. Now, now we're on the verge of war and bloodshed. And it's all because of me. The land does not deserve to suffer for my adulterous ways."

Rising from the land, Akiyama planted his water-filled boots into the mud and cast his pale face to the raging heavens above. "TAKE MY LIFE, NOT HERS! SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SUFFER THE FATE OF A WRONGED MAN!" Tears reappeared at the edges of his eyes. "IT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S WRONG AND YOU KNOW IT! It's wrong and... you know it." Dropping back to his knees, the wet land around him splashed upon him, coating him in a brown layer of earth. As it dripped from his pale features back into the ever growing puddle, Akiyama's eyes found a new resolution. A look of sheer determination washed over his figure.

"I SWEAR TO YOU, I WILL MAKE THINGS RIGHT!" Hair matted to his face and eyes still red from all the crying, the ex-knight shifted all his weight back into standing. Letting the storm whirl around him, the male clenched his fists and reclaimed his strength and valor.

"I, Akiyama Saiki, swear, on my life, that I will somehow restore balance and peace to this ravished land. Once my journey is done, I allow you, the fair heavens, to pass judgement over me, deciding my fate -- to live or to die. In one year's time, if I have not fulfilled this promise, then I beg of you to strip me of my life and to have me endure an eternity of suffering and pain for I would have failed my purpose in life."

Hand moving to his chest, he saluted the skies, sealing the promise.

With this resolution afoot, Akiyama turned toward Fang with a broken smile on his face. "I won't ask you to subject yourself to the same fate as I but I would like to ask for your company as I work toward completing this quest."

Smile creeping on to her face, the white haired woman reached her hands out and seized Akiyama's hands in her own. "Of course I will travel to the ends of the world with you." The tears in her eyes were washed away by the rain and, together, the two trudged onward toward their destiny that was shrouded in mystery.

06-10-2015, 02:30 PM

A pleased feeling quickly found its way up Anrah's spine at the attention her lover was giving her; even though they had a lovemaking session earlier that day, it was impossible to fully satisfy a succubus for long. Though she wanted nothing more than to fully react to that attention, his words seemed to contradict his actions. Her eyes remained closed, her body unmoving as she listened to the male and his plan. As much as she did not like the idea of sharing her lover, she understood the reasoning behind it. As Turq directed, the dark haired woman opened her eyes slightly to see the brown haired girl quickly falling asleep in such dank elements. He was plotting, which was something that normally turned the woman on, but looking back to the other female, the fact that it involved him moving onto this person seemed to enrage her.

Anrah just lay there, though her eyes were closed she lay completely awake mulling over the idea her mate had. Turq's stomach growling, seemingly only moments later, almost as though to tell the demoness that it was do or die.

Stretching, the woman sat up before pacing for a few moments as though she were restless, unable to fall asleep. Her blue orbs landed on the statue-looking male before she walked over to him and grabbed him rudely by the arm. "Ok holy boy," she grumbled as she pulled him towards the mouth of the cave. "We have to find something to eat or our companions will be starving when they wake up. I'll handle that part, you gather wood so they don't freeze." Just as they were nearing the cold night air she stopped, releasing the male and casting him a dark look.

"Don't even think of saying no. You owe me and if you refuse I'll make sure to not get enough food for your little girlfriend and she can starve." After narrowing her eyes at the male a moment longer, she turned back towards the outside, heading out into the night air. If this had been any other human that Anrah had been with, she would not have cared in the least as to what they did, but Turquine was different. He was the first human that didn't try to over power and tame her like all the others, rather he lured her to his side just by who he was and she didn't like the idea of possibly losing him to this woman, let alone even losing some of their time because of her.

01:57 PM

Kaine, in his soulless state, simply blinked at the woman who dared tug at him. Just who did she think she was? Succubus or not, she had no right to place her tainted, demonic paws on him!

Granted, if his angelic state could speak, he would eagerly agree to such terms. His inner boy wanted nothing more than to help. But, having three villains sealed within his soul made such excited gestures impossible. With his soulless, demonic side reigning control of all he did, Kaine came across bitter and with little to no concern for others. Such was the curse of enduring such a heavy burden of heroism.

Still, somewhere deep within those orbs of his, flickered compassion. Eyes jumping from the sleeping girl and then the man with the growling stomach, he agreed to the terms drawn out by the busty woman. "Fine, I'll consider my debt paid." With a snort, he walked out and found himself growling. "Seriously, you get to hunt food and I have to collect fire wood. Dry fire wood." Such a task, as previously discovered, would be impossible. With it still raining, Kaine just growled.

Hand now on his hip, he scoffed. "Since this will hardly be a quick task, I'll gather just enough to begin the fire again so, upon your return, you can prepare a meal. I'll then leave and gather more wood because, like you stated, they need food to live whereas you and I can, more or less, live on less sustenance."

Taking his leave, the redhead jerked up his hood and vanished into the wet, dark world outside the safety of the cave. Seething that he had to do such a task, he made a bee-line for some nearby trees.

Having no need for an axe, he simply snapped his fingers and a bolt of lightning struck down the tree. Again, he snapped and three more jolts of lightning came down.

Skilled with the powers of sorcery and magic, Kaine often had little need for weapons or tools. Sure, some would argue that he used his powers in a reckless, foolish manner, but the lad simply didn't care. When you are the embodiment of three evil spirits hellbent on destruction, you seem to careless about morals and ethics. Not to say that Kaine was sinful, for he hardly was, but his actions were not always as angelic as he wished.

With a sigh, he gazed down at the tree, which now lay in pieces. It was truly remarkable how powerful lightning was. Just four simple blows to the tree and he could not only chop it down, but cut it up into manageable pieces. Granted, carrying these twelve logs wasn't going to be fun. Still, he finished the first half of his deal.

Back into the cave he went, with charred firewood. The look on the faces of those he woke up was absolutely priceless. Turq was fully erect with jaw to the floor. And little Misu? Well, let's just say she wasn't going to go back to bed anytime soon.

Perhaps he should have used another element to strike down the tree? Or maybe he could have taken an axe, as they did have one on their person. Inwardly, he cringed at his antics, knowing full-well that Misu should still be asleep rather than left alone (and awake) with the devilish Turquine. Still, what was he to do? Break a sweat! Ha, as if!

"What," he grumbled before haphazardly dropping the dried logs on the cavern floor. "You," his eyes shifted toward Turq, "why don't you make yourself useless and start a fire."

"With what?" he said with an eye roll.

"Oh that's right. You're useless too." Rubbing his hands together, sparks started to jump from his palms. The faster he rubbed, the more sparks flew! In no time at all, there was a rip-roaring fire before the trio.

Snorting, he cocked his head before flicking his hood back up. "Keep your eyes peeled. If anyone else is caught in this storm, they'll be sure to seek out our fire. Though," a wicked laugh echoed in the cave, "I highly doubt anyone would be brave enough to seek out there the lightning strikes four times."

Face marred by his malice, Kaine ventured back into the outside. This time, he would return much, much later....

06-11-2015, 05:16 PM

Even though he was pretending to sleep, Turquine did not expect the thunderous boom of lightning. Jerking up with wide eyes, he honestly thought true lightning struck. But when it hit close to home three more times, the bandit knew it was all Kaine's doing.

Standing up with hand on heart, he let out a sigh. "He can't help it," he began as he looked at the petrified girl. "Even though he's the heart of an angel, his soul is plagued by the demons he consumed. Kindness and courtesy, sadly, are lost to his soulless form."

It was about that time that Kaine walked in with charred wood and barked out demands. "With what?" he said while rolling his eyes. Honestly, he had nothing that could start a fire. His matches were soaked! And although he had flint, he really didn't want to spend the next hour or two tapping stone together.

As expected, mage used his powers to begin a fire. Piqued, Turq could only watch in awe. He knew the kid had learned a lot of magic, but he had no idea Kaine was so skilled at it. "Holy heavens," he said in awe. "Just who did you say you trained under?" Whoever was Kaine's master had to be a Master Sorcerer. There was no way someone as young as the redhead could master such magical abilities, unless trained by a superior mage.

Sadly, the lad uttered no response and retreated back into the night. Left alone with just the girl-turned-woman, Turq cocked a brow. This, this was exactly what he wanted. It was time to start working that devilish charm of his. Scooting closer so they were practically sitting side-by-side, he placed a light touch to her thigh. "So tell me about yourself, deary?"

It began semi-innocent, but slowly the hand started to tickle the tender area. With any luck, she'd grow interested in what he was doing, thus giving him the chance to seduce her.

"What?" he flitted his lashes in a slow, seductive manner. "Surely a woman as beautiful as you has had some interaction with men." Lips moving closer to her face, he nipped at her ear. "If not, I'll be glad to show you the dance of passion." Lips curling up into a devious grin, his hand hiked higher up her thigh. "What is it darling?" His words were dripping with lust. "Man got your tongue?"

08:06 PM

A devious smirk can to Anrah's face as she looked at the redhead. It was a look that typically gave away when someone was up to something, but the succubus was always up to something so such a clue typically fell short when dealing with the woman. Rolling her eyes she then pushed the boy out of the mouth of the cave. "Yes, yes," she replied boredly, "We're even, at least for now."

She watched the male trudge off into the darkness, the inner battle he was having over this task was something that the woman could drink. As the male vanished, Anrah took one more look into the blackened cave before a pair of leathery wings morphed out of her back. Stretching them out, the woman beat them a few times before taking off into the sky. Kaine's emotions were easy to follow and follow them she did. Once he stopped, she perched on a tree a few yards back, then she simply watched. They weren't too far away, which meant that if this boy somehow did his job quickly, Turq would have no time to work up the girl.

A bolt of lightning cracked through the night sky, the succubus shielding her eyes from the sudden blinding light, her slit pupils narrowing. As soon as the first had hit, three more followed. The roar of the lightning would have been enough to wake even the neighboring towns; she would have been surprised if even the warring Kingdoms hadn't seen it. She then rested her forehead in the palm of her hand, shaking her head slowly. "Smooth genius, for wanting to avoid people, you probably alerted the whole Rashmaalian army," she cursed under her breath as the male gathered up the wood that he had splintered.

As the male began walking back toward the cave, Anrah sat on the branch, allowing one leg to dangle as she did. With her back against the cool, wet bark, she knew she didn't have to worry about Kaine returning too early. The show he put on would have easily put Turq on guard. Lazily, the woman cast her eyes down to the down, some fifty feet below, as a pair of horns curled from her forehead, her legs elongating, feet replaced by a pair of hooves. Her skin gained a purple hue as her nails grew, sharpened and turned black. She smiled as she looked into the darkness beyond, as her lips raised a pair of fangs were revealed. "Foolish boy, soon it will be time for us to play."

The dark, yet conflicted energy that came from the male soon began to grow thick again. Kaine was returning and Anrah would be sure that he didn't interfer with her and Turq's plan. Succubi were tricksters of sorts, they enjoyed tormenting their prey to bring out emotion, make them desperate and lead them down a path of questioning. Closing her eyes, she lazily waved a hand in the air before her. A simple gesture, but a high level spell would be set down. Unless one was actually trying to detect the magic of a succubi, it typically went unnoticed. As for this particular spell, Anrah had no interest in the boy per-say, but she did need to keep him out longer than he would feel comfortable leaving the girl with Turq. The forest around them because an endless forest, one could walk and walk and walk, but never get anywhere. Kaine could gather up his wood and attempt to return to the cave, but he would never be able to return until the spell was lifted.

For now she would watch the boy, his interest in the girl seemed high which meant that he was more likely to be focused on her than his own well being. Or so the woman hoped, he was a difficult one to read, much like the girl. Soon though, that would change. She would learn the secrets that these two were hiding.

---------- Post added 06-17-2015 at 04:16 PM ----------

The ground was hard and cold, it felt almost damp even through the cloth she was lying on. Kiyomi, or Miru as she was now known, couldn't complain though. She was getting the adventure she had asked for, but she didn't want it to lead to the destruction of a village. Though she was asleep, it was not restful. She could see the banners of her kingdom riding into the village, the hostility on their faces unlike anything she had seen before. Even in her sleep, tears rolled from her eyes. Her kingdom was a happy place, the guards were always nice and helpful when she saw them. They would never do something like destroy a village, her father would never allow it. Why had they come though? Kiyomi wasn't too sure on this part for she had been woken suddenly after the attack had started, the house she was in was already on fire.

She could hear the screams echoing in her head and she pulled the thin blanket close to her. As the slaughter picked up, for that's what it was; these villagers didn't fight back, they were simply killed, a loud cracking noise pierced the quiet night air. Kiyomi woke with a start, suck her breath in, her eyes shot open wide as she stared into the darkness. Shortly after her eyes opened, the cave became slightly illuminated by three other bolts of lightning, their cracking noise as loud as the first one.

Shortly later, Kaine was returning with some logs, her eyes fell on her for a moment and she quickly adverted her gaze. As she stared at the cold stone she kept repeating in her head, 'Kaine is a good person, Kaine is a good person, Kaine is a good person.' She knew that he wouldn't use his powers for bad, but she remembered what she saw at the village. She remembered what he did to it and what happened to him. A knot formed in her throat, it was all too much to handle.

She fought to keep her eyes off the male as he and Turq spoke, though when he decided to take the job of starting the fire, Kiyomi rolled her eyes up to watch. While magic was beautiful, it was dangerous; she wasn't sure if Kaine was the one that caused the lightning, his act just then still didn't make the girl feel too comfortable. It was then that he mentioned the lightning before leaving, perhaps he really had caused it?

Once he was gone, Kiyomi moved closer to the fire, the tattered cloth she had, wrapped around her arms as she tried to warm herself. Her eyes remained locked on the element as her mind wandered over thoughts of everything that was going on.

Turq had spoken to the girl a few times before Kaine had returned, but it was hard to really piece together much of anything at this point. There was no magic in her Kingdom and now she was surrounded by it. Her Kingdom was a happy place and now she was surrounded by death, evil and decite. Did Aki really survive through all of this? Kiyomi found it hard to belive, he was such a nice person, you couldn't tell he had been through such hardships other than in his stories.

The male moved closer to her, an action that the woman didn't notice until his thigh bumped hers. Eyes still wide and full of surprise from what happened looked over at the male. He wanted to know more about her? This brought a confused look to the woman's face and before she could ask anything, his hand was on the cold, bare skin of her leg. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes filled with alarm as he continued saying how she must have had interaction with other men.

"W-wha--No!" She was barely able to get out, her voice breathless, the shock, keeping her from raising it much louder. The male leaned in to her, frozen with fear she couldn't respond as he nipped her ear. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she listened to him, felt his hand raise up on her leg. His face was still near hers, she felt threatened and she was scared. Her brain was starting to lock down when a familiar, welcoming voice came to mind. It was Aki, her Aki. He had told her that if they were to ever get separated and something happened to her, he wanted her to scream with all her might.

Scream. That was just what she did. Opening her mouth, Kiyomi let out a loud scream, louder than one probably would have expected from the woman, but it was all her brain was demanding of her at that point.

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