Shattered Reflections [M]

[MorningStar]

The shadows cast by the dense woods seemed to dance with an eerie rhythm as Ipsen, the malevolent entity only visible to Arya, beckoned her into a deeper conversation. His voice echoed sinister intent as he spoke, a maleficent symphony that intertwined with the rustling leaves and creaking branches.

"Ah, Arya," Ipsen crooned, his words dripping with a sinister charm, "aren't you just dying to unravel the mysteries of my existence? The enigma that I am, the shadows that cling to my form like loyal servants. I know you harbor that insatiable curiosity deep within. It's only natural for a creature of your kind."

His presence, though unseen by any but Arya, emanated a chilling aura that sent shivers down her spine. Ipsen reveled in the unease he instilled, his features concealed in the shadows, leaving only the piercing glint of his black eyes visible.

"You see, Arya," Ipsen continued, his tone teasing and malefic, "I am the embodiment of the darkness that resides within the human soul. The lingering fears, the unspoken desires, the wicked thoughts that fester in the depths of consciousness – they all give birth to entities like me."

As he spoke, the shadows seemed to coalesce around him, forming phantom shapes that danced and twisted with a malevolent grace. Ipsen's voice grew more intimate, almost whispering into Arya's mind, planting seeds of doubt and fear.

"Have you never wondered why your nightmares take shape, why the darkest corners of your imagination conjure up horrors? I am the manifestation of those fears, Arya. I exist because humanity craves the thrill of the unknown, the dance with the forbidden. The more you fear, the stronger I become."

Which may or may not have been complete bullshit. Ipsen was one for mind games, so one could never really tell.

[wandering_giraffe]

Arya gasped as Ipsen seemed to disappear altogether, only to materialize all around her...or was he? It was hard to tell. One thing she was sure of, was that whatever he is, he's feeding off of fear. He wasn't wrong. She was curious, which was partly how she got entangled in Ipsen's dangerous web in the first place.
Arya decided to play along with his dangerous game for now. She had nothing to lose. She had already lost the one that had mattered to her, Lowen. Would she ever see him again? Would he ever remember her?

"Fine then...tell me all about yourself...although you've practically already explained how you work."
She warily looked around. Ipsen was so unpredictable.
"So what...you're an incubus...? That feeds off of fear?"

[MorningStar]

Ipsen materialized in front of Arya. His figure emerged from the darkness with an unsettling grace, a wicked grin etched upon his otherworldly features. The air became thick with an ominous energy as he regarded Arya with a gaze that hinted at the malevolence lurking within.

"Ah, Arya," Ipsen intoned with a chilling lilt, "perhaps I was once a man, with beating hearts and fragile dreams, just like the ones that reside within your fragile mortal frame. Maybe I roamed these lands with aspirations and desires, my footsteps echoing in the vastness of time."

He circled Arya slowly, the shadows trailing in his wake like ethereal tendrils. Ipsen's form seemed to flicker between human and demonic.

"Or perhaps," he continued, his voice a sinister whisper, "I was Lowen. Perhaps, there was never a Lowen. Perhaps you fell in love with someone that did not exist."

Ipsen's words held a tantalizing ambiguity, each sentence a riddle with countless interpretations. His wicked grin widened as he reveled in the torment of uncertainty that played across Arya's expression.

"Can you not feel the echoes of my existence reverberating within you?" Ipsen mused, his tone dripping with malevolence. "The whispers of forgotten memories, the faintest traces of a past long extinguished. Maybe I am a figment of your own imagination, a creation woven from the threads of your deepest fears. Do you even remember a time before us?"

As he spoke, Ipsen's form continued to shift and warp, casting grotesque shadows upon the surrounding foliage.

[wandering_giraffe]

Arya had unconsciously backed up until her back had hit a tree. Ipsen seemed to be growing stronger.
Arya defiantly glared at Ipsen.
"There was a Lowen. There is a Lowen! I will never forget him, and no matter what you do, my memories of him will NEVER fade! Why? Because—-because love is stronger than fear. And my love for him, even though you made him forget me, will not fade. Ever. Even if you kill me." And she stared at him, right in his emotionless, empty eyes, daring him to try.

[MorningStar]

Arya stood there, her eyes locked with Ipsen's, a clear hate etched on her face. It made Ipsen quite thrilled to see. His words cut through the air with a sinister satisfaction, each syllable laced with malice.

"No, Arya. You made him forget you. You chose me, not him," Ipsen taunted, his voice echoing in the space between them. "You decided to walk away, not him. And you now have me, not him."

The weight of Ipsen's words bore down on Arya. She may have never intended for Lowen to lose everything, but the gravity was in the consequences the actions Ipsen so lovingly orchestrated.

"When you took me from him, you took away everything he had ever known, learned, and loved, in that time," Ipsen continued, reveling in the torment his words inflicted. "Now he's just a pathetic, ordinary man with nothing to live for."

And then a wicked smile. "With a price on his head, no doubt."

[wandering_giraffe]

"So you admit it then," Arya shot back, rather smugly, even.
"He did love me. He most certainly didn't love you."

She was using the hate she was feeling to push down the fear. A rather effective tactic, actually.
"You know, maybe you aren't real. That would explain a lot actually. Prove you're real," she challenged, and then lunged for him.

[MorningStar]

In an instant, he shot out an arm.

Ipsen's grip tightened around Arya's throat, his fingers pressing into the delicate skin. The sudden shift from his calm demeanor to a visage of rage was very visible. Her feet dangled above the ground as Ipsen held her effortlessly, his strength overpowering - something unexpected from the little Arya and Lowen had known about him prior. The world around them seemed to blur as he forced her to gasp for air.

The remnants of blood on Ipsen's hands hinted at the violence that unfolded, the darkness within him manifesting in this chilling moment as he held her with a vice-like grip.

Ipsen's face remained stoic, his black eyes piercing into Arya's with an intensity that mirrored the abyss, blood seeping out the corners of his eyes. The rage within him simmered, an unsettling contrast to the tranquil surroundings. It was a snapshot frozen in time, capturing the brutality of Ipsen's wrath.

"Real enough?" he asked, licking his teeth.

[wandering_giraffe]

Suddenly, Arya couldn't breathe. Ipsen had her in a dangerous chokehold, one hand painfully choking her neck, her feet off the ground. That was gonna leave a bruise. A tinge of panic sprung up in her heart. Had she pushed him too far? Was this it?
Black spots swam in her vision. She kicked her feet desperately, weaker than she was just moments ago.
There was no humanity at all in his eyes. Pure evil. And now she was at his mercy.
She desperately gasped for air, weakly pulling at the hand that had an iron grip around her neck.
"N-no," she managed to get out in between gasps.

[MorningStar]

With gritted teeth, Ipsen callously threw her down into the unforgiving dirt. His sinister smirk conveyed a sense of superiority, as if he viewed her weakness as nothing more than an amusement. His taunting words echoed in the air, a chilling reminder of her vulnerability. "I won't kill you yet, lover," he sneered, relishing in the power he held over her. "I still need you. Now, on your feet. We have work to do."

---

As Lowen moved through the dense woods, his footsteps crunching on the fallen leaves, his thoughts remained tangled in a web of confusion. The memory of that woman lingered in his mind, a puzzle piece that refused to fit into place. Why was he fixated on someone he didn't know?

The ominous whispers of the rustling leaves seemed to taunt him, echoing his internal struggle. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something crucial, something he desperately needed to remember about her. The more he tried to grasp the elusive memory, the more it slipped through his fingers, leaving him with a frustrating sense of incompleteness.

The forest path eventually opened up, revealing the outskirts of the town. Lowen could see the structures ahead, a welcome sight after the disorienting trek through the woods. Yet, the unresolved mystery of the woman's significance gnawed at him, urging him to unravel the enigma that clung to her presence.

"Ah.. Ah.. Arya?"

[wandering_giraffe]

Arya had had the wind knocked out of her before, but it was so much worse when there wasn't any air in your lungs in the first place. Ipsen threw her down hard, and the pain exploded across her back and her lungs. It took her a minute  to gain any semblance of normal breathing back, and she gingerly got up, rubbing her bruised neck where Ipsen had choked her.
"Just...give me a second..."
She warily eyed him, breathing heavily.
"What are you planning on doing? I at least deserve to know that, if I'm participating in it."

[MorningStar]

Arya? Arabelle? Ariel? Amaya? Adrianna? Ashley? Aveena?

"Was it Arya?" Lowen murmured to himself, absently scratching his chin. "..Did she even tell me her name?"

Before Lowen could take any decisive actions, the air was pierced by a stern command, "Halt!" Startled, he pivoted around to find himself encircled by a group of guards, their armor glinting in the dappled sunlight filtering through the dense foliage. His heart raced as the realization set in that he was being cornered, facing an unknown threat. With a mix of confusion and trepidation, he hastily raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, even though the reason for his predicament remained a mystery.

---

Ipsen's sinister presence lingered, his black eyes gleaming with a malevolent glow as he divulged his plan to Arya. "Ya see, lover, to fully manifest in this realm, I require a physical body. And you, my dear sweet Arya, are going to help me obtain one," he hissed, a wicked grin distorting his otherwise impassive features.

A pregnant pause hung in the air before Ipsen continued, "But first, let's pay a visit to the town. They ought to be stringing Lowen up right about now, and I plan on being in attendance."

[wandering_giraffe]

As much as she hated it, she had agreed to helping him...but the last thing Ipsen had gleefully said was too much.
"Stringing up Lowen...no...no...NO!"
The gap in her memory...Lowen had said Ipsen had possessed her...he must have possessed Lowen before that...something to put a huge target on innocent Lowen's back.
And she bolted, running for the direction of the town. She didn't care if Lowen didn't recognize her or remember her anymore, he was still innocent.

[MorningStar]

In the heart of the town square, a hushed anticipation settled over the crowd as Lowen dangled precariously from the gallows, one step away from demise. The rusty chains creaked under the weight of his body, the ominous swaying casting eerie shadows on the wooden platform below. The cold wind carried the scent of anxious spectators, their murmurs a cacophony of judgment.

The executioner stepped forward, his face hidden beneath a hood, amplifying the ominous atmosphere. "Citizens of Connlaoth, behold the criminal before you!" he bellowed, voice echoing through the square. "This man stands accused of murder, conspiracy, and forbidden arts!" Gasps rippled through the crowd, a mix of disbelief and contempt.

Lowen's eyes darted nervously, scanning the faces that once held mere curiosity but now brimmed with disdain. The executioner's gravelly voice continued to detail the alleged crimes, each word sending shivers down Lowen's spine. He struggled against the bindings, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

As the list of accusations reached its crescendo, the executioner raised his hand for silence. The town square became eerily quiet, the air thick with tension. Lowen's panicked breaths were the only audible sounds, a stark contrast to the stifling hush that had fallen over the crowd.

The executioner's final words reverberated, "May this be a lesson to all who dare defy the Order! Let justice be served!" The crowd erupted into a mixture of jeers and cheers as the executioner prepared the lever.

"I-I didn't do anything!" Lowen cried, which resulted in more boos from the crowd.

"Silence!" the executioner snapped. "This is not a court of law, where one may negotiate or plead! This is a sentence!"

And as Arya got their to witness the scene, before she could make any moves, Ipsen put a devilish hand on her, the weight of his touch somehow binding her feet to the ground.

[wandering_giraffe]

Arya ran as fast as she could, desperately hoping she could do something. She had no idea what she was going to do when she got there, but she could try.
"Please no please no please no!"

Finally she got to the town square. But before she could do anything, a familiar, malicious presence formed, one hand touching her.
She couldn't move, her feet frozen to the floor.
"Ipsen! What the fuck is wrong with you! He's innocent! He's done nothing! Please dont let him die!"
Arya was desperate. Dangerously desperate.
"I'll do anything...just let him live! Please!"

[MorningStar]

Ipsen's sinister smile deepened as he gracefully waved his hand. A surreal stillness settled over the scene, freezing everyone and everything in a momentary pause. The air hung heavy with silence as the crowd stood in eerie immobility, their expressions and gestures suspended in time.

In this surreal pocket of halted reality, Ipsen and Arya stood unaffected, the only entities free from the temporal freeze. Ipsen's eyes gleamed with malevolence as he turned to face Arya, the quiet intensity of the scene amplifying the gravity of their situation. "Anything?" he repeated, his voice cutting through the hushed stillness, and he released his grip on Arya's shoulder.

[wandering_giraffe]

"Anything!" She pleaded, her eyes full of the fear she was feeling for Lowen's fate.
She still couldn't move. Ipsen seemed to have stopped time.
Arya felt as if she was going to pass out. She turned away from where Lowen was about to be executed.

[MorningStar]

Ipsen's breath was one of delight as he conjured a knife out of thin air. The blade gleamed malevolently, catching the dim light of the eerie scene. Ipsen took her hand with authority and deftly carved a ritualistic symbol into her palm, each stroke of the blade etching an otherworldly pattern. The cold steel kissed her skin, sending shivers through her.

Ipsen mirrored the process, carving the same symbol into his own palm, crimson droplets marking the pact. The air thickened with an ominous energy as their bleeding hands were pressed together. An ethereal glow enveloped them, casting an eerie hue on their entwined figures.

"And now, you belong to me," Ipsen declared, his voice a sinister whisper that echoed through the surreal space. The weight of his words settled like a dark omen. His gaze flickered to Lowen, still frozen in his impending fate, and another wicked gleam curled into his lips.

"Oh, and if you want to save Lowen, you better run fast." Ipsen's mocking tone resonated, and with a wave of his hand, time resumed its course. The crowd erupted into chaotic cheers and jeers, the lever was pulled, and the sound of Lowen's neck snapping was accompanied by an audible gasp from the onlookers.

[wandering_giraffe]

What was she thinking?

What was she doing?

Making a deal with a malicious entity?

Was she insane? Or just in love? Probably a mix of both honestly

She gasped in pain as Ipsen grabbed her hand and carved...something into her hand. It burnt and was cold all at the same time. A kind of frigid, burning pain.

He did the same to his hand, before pressing them together.
An intense wave of cold washed over her, hitting her like a wall.
What did he say? She belonged to him?
Oh gods no.
And then time resumed.
But what did he say? His sentence barely registered in her brain, Arya desperately whirling around only just to see Lowen drop.
There was a gasp from a crowd.
A snap as the rope cruelly tightened around his neck, his limp body swinging from the rope.
Arya couldn't believe it.
An agonized, heart shattering scream erupted from her.
"LOWEN NOOO!"
She snatched the knife from Ipsen before he could react.
She ran. She was just a blur. The crowd just kindof parted for her and she leaped onto the stage, cutting down Lowen's body and tightly grasping it, lowering it to the floor and crying into his cold chest.
"Lowen I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!
Don't go. Not like this! Not like this," she whispered brokenly.
Her body was racked with harsh sobs.
She felt like she couldn't breathe.
 

[MorningStar]

Ipsen observed Arya from the shadows, his expression unreadable as she desperately tried to save the person she believed to be Lowen. The deception weighed heavy on him, knowing that every tear she shed was based on a falsehood he had orchestrated. As Arya clung to the imposter, Ipsen contemplated the consequences of his intricate plan and the emotional turmoil it would unleash upon her.

And he relished it.

Ispen's deception magic proved formidable, intricately woven to withstand scrutiny for an extended period. The illusion of Lowen's demise played out seamlessly, manipulating Arya's emotions to perfection. He understood that the torment within her soul was a necessary catalyst for the unfolding events. With each passing day, the charade would deepen, and the weight of false grief would bear down on Arya's shoulders. Ipsen would patiently watch as the emotional anguish fueled her determination, unknowingly contributing to the success of his elaborate scheme. The longer she believed in Lowen's tragic fate, the more potent the enchantment became, setting the stage for the intricate dance of destiny he had orchestrated.

——

Lowen cautiously approached Arya's house, an air of uncertainty hanging over him. Evading the law had led him to this unfamiliar doorstep, and a strange compulsion drew him inside. The door yielded to a twist of the knob, revealing an unlocked entrance. With trepidation in his heart, he stepped into the dimly lit interior, the creaking floorboards beneath his feet echoing in the silent space. The house seemed frozen in time, shrouded in an eerie stillness. Lowen's senses heightened as he explored, unaware of the emotional storm brewing within Arya due to Ipsen's deception.

Why had he come here? Whose house was it? He felt like there was something he was missing, something that he was mere inches away from uncovering.

[wandering_giraffe]

She desperately checked for a pulse but there was none. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore.
Now what was she supposed to do? Go home. Maybe tomorrow she'll go to the bounty hunter guild. Sink back into the slight routine she had before she met Lowen.

Arya lost a bit of herself that day.
She would hardly eat. The nightmares began the next night, Lowen dying in worse and worse ways and Arya being forced to watch every single one. She grew gaunt and pale, her eyes now seemingly looking for something.
A week passed.
Grief had settled on her fully, weighing her down like a burden specifically meant for her.

Arya wondered what Ipsen was planning to do. Not that it mattered anymore. With Lowen gone...why resist? She studied the symbol he had carved into her hand. It looked evil.
The slight constant burning pain she had in her hand was like the slight nagging at the back of her mind that Ipsen had worse plans. 

Arya had just gotten home from the bounty hunters guild, and as she walked up to the door, she noticed it was cracked open. Funny. She had definitely closed it.
She drew her knife and cautiously pushed open the door.

Then she saw what she presumed to be Ipsen, standing with his back turned to her.
"Ipsen?" She questioned.