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The Red Peak [Marakai Trin]

Started by AevumEternity, November 23, 2016, 02:55:47 PM

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AevumEternity

This was almost too perfect, maybe if she could keep this up, she could get this dragon's bounty to nearly four times its original worth. All the while goading him on- too bad he did not destroy the city, but mauling most of the men would be just as deliciously good. She had tucked herself against the trunk of the tree, hugging the sword to her chest beneath her cloak almost like a protective mother would a child as she observed the distant chaos.

When he returned, her head was hidden beneath the cloak, only popping up again when he spoke, a small like of blood against her collar and jaw signalling where she had hugged the blade a bit too enthusiastically.

She stood awkwardly and looked down at him with a slight smile," I thought you discouraged eating people though?" She mocked, even so, she grasped the hilt of his sword- chucking it to the ground where it landed neatly in the soft earth at his feet. Blade first, hilt quivering.

Aev'iterna began to shimmy down the tree as well, now willing to jump in this squishy form.

Marakai Trin

"I never said anything about eating people. I don't want you to slaughter innocents, the people living their lives who would otherwise leave us alone. Those men attacked with no provocation. Armed men, sent on a hunt. That was self defense." He reached down and pulled his sword from the earth, and moved over to another tree. He leaned it against the trunk, and sat at its base.

"Besides...I left none alive to report back. No one in that city will know what happened here, and I plan on us being long gone before anyone sees the scene over there."

He leaned back, and winced slightly. He slid forward a bit, and reached behind him, tearing out another crossbow bolt.

"....I hate these damn things..."

AevumEternity

Nodding slightly, she approached him. cautiously- it's not like she could tell him without rousing suspicion just how much those people would know. Flashing him a smile, Aev'iterna chirps," Turn around, I can ge tthe rest for you. You should be like me- with an armored hide rather then a simply hard one."

The demon placed a hand on his shoulder, already making him turn around- her touch was surprisingly gentle- but that tenderness ended abruptly with her grasping another bolt at his lower back and ripping it free. Quickly dropping it to the forest floor she pressed her hands against the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Marakai Trin

He gave a slight wince and a hiss of pain as the bolt was removed, a little unprepared for it.

"Generally, I'm used to bows...crossbows have a little more force behind them." He reached back and gently pushed her hands away. "I can heal it, now that the bolts are out. Watch." He closed his crimson eyes, concentrating briefly on the spots of fire on his back and side, and willed the pain away.

Within a moment, the small holes shrunk, and healed themselves without even a scar.

He opened his eyes again, and smiled. "You see? No problem."

AevumEternity

The demon crouched, watching closely as the wounds healed swiftly, looking up at him with a bright smile," Cool-" she crooned briefly before popping back to her feet, silver ringlets bouncing like liquid springs before she swiftly turned her her heel,"- but I'm hungry, so I'll take what you killed, is that ok? You can join me?"

Sticking out her tongue, the demonlord smirks and winks at him- gesturing him to follow after her~

Marakai Trin

Marakai pushed himself to his feet with a tired groan, and shook his head. "I've already had my fill. I think I'm going to head inland a little ways and make camp again.... I don't know about you, but I have to sleep sometime. That little amount before did absolutely nothing for me."

He grabbed his sword, and gestured further into the trees. "Just look for a fire. I'll keep it far enough away that it won't be seen by anyone casually looking into the woods, but you should be able to find it easily enough. Just enjoy yourself, and come find me later," he said.

And no surprises this time, he thought, turning around and headed through the trees.

About a half hour later, he decided he had walked far enough. He brought low every tree within thirty yards, giving himself ample room to transform if he needed to defend himself again. He was a bit more conservative with the fire this time, finding several stones and building a ring with them. Inside this ring, he built his fire, briefly transformed to ignite it, and shifted back to his human form. Selecting a large number of broad leaves, he was able to make a couple impromptu pallets for them, set several feet apart.

With an exhausted groan, he settled down on one of them, laying his massive blade on the ground beside him, between the two pallets.

In minutes, he was asleep, and his nightmares were his memories.

-----

He was searching through the shattered stones of the palace of the Tenkou Clan, heaving aside great slabs with his massive forepaws, looking for his beloved amongst the wreckage. His brother had finally fallen only minutes before, and Marak was in horrible shape with massive bites taken from his haunches and one wing nearly torn off, but he didn't care. He had to find her. He hysterically prayed to Crosis that she hadn't been killed during the battle.

After nearly eleven hours of throwing aside stone, he unearthed the entire palace down to the catacombs, never once stopping to take an assessment of his wounds. He never found her. A day later, he'd torn through every building in the city, wrecked or otherwise. He found nothing. Not.
A.
Soul.

Lightning crashed in the depths of the night, and his roar of anguish provided the thunder, echoing for miles.

---

Marakai thrashed in his sleep heavily, and in time with himself in his dream, he shot straight up and screamed.

"Otohime!!!!"

AevumEternity

Hush.

A soft, familiar voice immediately spoke seemingly from the back of his mind. In the pitch darkness, a massive shape shifted- light shining briefly off the large form of the monster nearby. It lifted its huge head, looking down at him- lips curling away from ivory fangs in some form of a smile.

Welcome back to the waking world, Marakai Trin.

Marakai Trin

The first thing he noticed was the smell, like blood and corruption. Then he heard the voice.

Aev'interna.

So this is what she turned into. And it would seem he had been right before - she was luring him into a trap.

She was the trap.

Deftly, he rolled to the side, quickly grabbing the hilt of his sword and coming to stand in a single motion. He held the massive blade at length, one arm extended with the other at his side - an impossible feat for anyone else, holding that 300 pound blade aloft with one arm.

He leveled his fiery gaze at the beast in front of him, and sneered.

"This had better be a joke, Aev'interna. Otherwise, you're going to regret this. I promise you that." The last bit of that came out like a hiss, almost, and his face began taking on more draconic features - his skin just above his forehead split as a spike erupted forth. A line of small spikes poked through the flesh near his eyebrows, giving it a ridged appearance. He bared his teeth, their appearance becoming long and dagger-like.

Almost audibly, the flesh along the arm holding up his sword split, revealing glossy black scales beneath. Those scales quickly twisted a path up his arm and shoulder, dipping over his chest and back up his neck, spiraling up his face to encircle the base of the spike on his head.

When he spoke, it was a voice of venomous death, with an odd duality to it - almost as if the man and the dragon were both speaking at once.

"You have been warned."

AevumEternity

Great claws folded over one another and though the eyes were not visible, they seemed to roll with great annoyance, Oooooh I see how it is... Aev'iterna's telepathic coice oozed with annoyance and sarcasm.

So you can change and stretch whenever you want but I'm too scary to, huh? Thats rather hypocritical don't you think, Marakai? the great maw opened briefly, red tongue curling with a great yawn as ivory fangs flashed briefly in the dim light. The manticore's great bulk rose, stretching much like and oversized armored cat, long tail recoiling stifly as the vicious barb flashed threateningly despite the movement being utterly innocent.

Marakai Trin

Marakai stared for a moment, feeling slightly chagrined. Then suddenly, he lowered his sword and began striding toward Aev'iterna, raising a hand and poking her bestial form in the nose.

"Any other time would be different, but when I wake up to you looming over me, after a nightmare, and looking the way you do now, what else was I supposed to think?" With a huff, he turned away from her and moved toward the dying remains of the fire, tossing a couple logs in it and poking at it with the tip of his sword.

Glancing to the side, as the fire stirred to life, he could see her more clearly. He visibly winced when he saw her armored hide, and squeezed his eyes shut.

She wears her face, speaks in her voice, and even this form reminds me of her. Oh, Otohime, where are you?

Marak's eyes opened again, and he stared into the fire for a moment, before speaking again.

"I prepared a bed of sorts for you, too, but if you're more comfortable in that form, it'll be kind of useless. I figured it would be best to remain looking human, in case anyone came looking for a dragon after what happened before." He glanced at her again, this time turning his head to be sure she knew he was looking.

"If you don't mind my asking...where are you from? If we're going to travel together, we should really know each other more."

AevumEternity

The demon's muzzle noticeably wrinkle as he pokes her nose, but seems to relax its broad shoulders, shaking out the silver lion-like mane, each bristle seemed metallic and viciously sharp- making a sound like a thousand needles being sifted through.

I would answer your question if I knew. The demon answered ominously but sincerely. She, in fact, did not know of her home, her origins. Forever wandering- hmm... When did she even begin? When was the beginning for her? These were questions she had never bothered to ask herself before.

Marakai Trin

Marakai turned away, looking back into the fire. He was silent for a moment, concentrating on his form as he tried to relaxed - slowly, his flesh returned to normal as the scales receded, the horn protruding from the side of his head shrinking and finally disappearing, all draconic aspects evaporating as if they hadn't been there at all.

He looked at her again, and spoke, "...It must be rather perplexing, not knowing where you're from. I can relate - sort of. I'm from....a really, really long time ago. It's only been about eight months since I awakened from what was apparently a several-thousand year nap. I know little about the world I find myself in now." He looked away again, his eyes moistening slightly as he stared into the growing flames.

"I'm from what was once known as the Aerie Dragon clan. Though the records no longer exist, as far as I've been able to find, I am the last living member of its Royal Family, the House of Trin."

AevumEternity

So you're worth more then you look, the demon teased seeming to be attempting to lighten his mood. Folding one massive paw over the other, it shook its great mane, chortling quietly, How is the future, Marakai Trin? Is it all you dreamed of?

Marakai Trin

Marak wondered about that first comment for a moment, one brow lifting in response, but nothing more. Placing his sword tip-down on the ground, he slowly spun it, watching the light dance off the adamantine flat edge.

When she spoke again, he glanced up at her. "....it's not exactly fantastic. Humans are still little more than squabbling groups of imbeciles, with their war and twisted ideals. The world has gone and changed without me, the terrain rearranged almost completely. No one that I knew is still alive... I'm completely alone now." He then actually turned his head, staring into one of her large black eyes.

"....shape-shifting demons that know more about certain things than they let on decide to follow around disgruntled, depressed dragons...oh, what has the world come to?" He gave a small chuckle at that, and turned back to the fire, the orange and yellow hues not quite meeting his crimson eyes.

"....why were you following me, Aev'iterna? Really? It's just...a little odd for what seems to be a ghost from my past to so readily attach herself to and follow me around. You don't need my help. What is it you really want?"

AevumEternity

The beast made a soft chuckling sound deep within its chest, I am no ghost of your past, if you tell the truth- I am much, much younger then you. Slowly it began to shrink, the great plates of armor flaking away and shattering to dust- the silvery mane shedding and dissolving. It could almost be considered beautiful were it not... A demon.

"Do you not trust in me?"
The young woman hugged her knees to her bare chest, offering him a small smile- silvery locks flowing over her shoulders- pitch black eyes blinking slowly

Marakai Trin

".....you misunderstand me, Aev'iterna, when I call you a ghost." Her transformation was audible, and he turned to look at her, blinking a minute before offering a sad smile.

"To tell the truth, I know not who to trust. I'm not even sure I trust what I see anymore, or what I hear. If I were to fully trust you, I think I would have to be insane."

He stood up, shoving his sword into the earth, and walked away from the fire. He came to a stop at the edge of its light, and stared into darkness.

".....a very long time ago, I had a mate. Her name was Otohime, and she was, to me, the most beautiful creature to ever exist on this earth. And this is what I mean by ghost."

He then turned to look at her, some ten feet away, staring at her over the fire with a sad, faraway look. "....if it wasn't for those eyes, and the fact you are a demon, I swear by Crosis' name, you would be her. You walk in her skin, you speak in her voice. I never said anything before, because I thought, surely, that I was losing my mind."

AevumEternity

" Whatever you say-" she points to her face with a small frown," this is my face. Why? Because it's been on my damn head for years." Seeming to roll her black eyes, she shook her head- crawling toward him on all fours after shifting her weight. With incredible stealth, she was behind him- standing slowly before wrapping her arms around his neck- hugging him closely from behind.

" I honestl could care less if I look like your mate," she admitted, her warm breath brushing past his ear," as long as you know that I am me. No one else."

Marakai Trin

Marakai's back went rigid at her touch, before he relaxed with a long exhale. His eyes began to take on a low-burning glow as he gave in to the feel of her naked flesh against his bare back.

He tilted his head slightly, resting his cheek against the top of her head.

"I am well aware of the difference," he stated in a low voice. "....you are playing a dangerous game, Aev'iterna."

AevumEternity

Turning her head slightly, the demon pressed her lips to his cheek, still hugging him close as she whispered in a low, sultry purr," I am a demon, it IS what we do,"

Her eyes, in turn, seemed to merely reflect the dull glow like black mirrors, the smallest of smiles curling her thin lips.

Marakai Trin

"I'm not sure you're old enough to know what a dangerous creature I truly am. How experienced are you with dealing with dragons?" he asked, lifting his head slightly and turning to look at her. His eyes began to flicker and flare in tune with his heartbeat. He leaned in slightly, his lips almost close to touching hers, and stopped. In a low voice, barely over a whisper, he said, "It wouldn't take much...I could accidently destroy you. Are you willing to take that risk?"

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