Never Wish, Never Tell

visualspice · June 25, 2013, 12:29:34 PM

Fear was evident in Artemis's eyes at what Bellona had revealed. No human had ever set foot there..a nd for that long!? She felt that fear grip at her heart, and for a moment, she had forgotten how to breath. Instincts had her eyes going over to, Dietrich, her eyes pleading with him. Did she really have to never show an ounce of fear!? What sort of place was he taking her to!? And naturally, she was too afraid to ask, her jaw still gaping open before she pressed her lips together and tried to swallow the knot tightening within her throat.

Lion · June 25, 2013, 05:24:47 PM

"Artemis," Dietrich looked at her now. "Of all thing, Bellona is right about that. It is our coven. A vampire coven. And Cronus' sacred home. Don't fear, I'll protect you. Just don't speak to anyone that you don't have to, They'll get the wrong idea. Do you trust me enough to let me do this for you?"

For some reason he felt he had to ask, that at least on person on this carriage actually had a degree of trust toward him. After the people he'd hurt, and those that hurt him, that he migt look up at last with some dgree of forgiveness. That he might be able to forgive himself.

visualspice · June 25, 2013, 06:39:02 PM

Artemis hesitated, her mind going number over the question. She had come this far, she had agreed to see this man. They had to look into this curse; they had to find a way to break it. So with a nod of her head, she agreed in silence, before answering softly, "Yes." All the while her heart beat was still hammering inside her head.

Lion · July 03, 2013, 01:54:11 AM

"Good," Dietrich nodded to her and even gave a trying smile to Bellona. The other woman just smiled at him and turned to gaze out the window. The carriage rolled along and bolted down the road at breakneck speed, racing the dawn.

visualspice · July 03, 2013, 09:03:22 AM

Artemis hadn't expected the carriage to move so fast, so when it lurched forward, she let out a yelp and came crumpling to the floor. Now in a heap, she blushed and scrambled back onto her bench, and clung onto it until her knuckles went white. She only realized the severity of the sunlight hwen she peered outside the carriage window.
'Oh, no...' she thought 'Can we make it there before the sun comes up and burns Dietrich?'
And she chewed nervously on her lower lip, silently praying that they would.

Lion · July 03, 2013, 11:40:21 PM

Dietrich had drawn curtains over the windows. No vampire ever left proper safety before traveling so long and so far abroad as Bellona did on this night. He said nothing more to anyone else inside the carriage, seeing no reason to as the night gradually passed. The motion eventually lulled him into something that resembled a slumber, one he didn't get much of that morning and relaxed against the corner of his side of the carriage.

When she was sure, he was no longer responsive, Bellona turned to Artemis and eyed her up. "Now that our respective companion is a little drowsy, why don't you tell me the truth about how the two of you met, darling? Dietrich can be a little - how does one put it - pushy, at times and can make a girl quite nervous. I'm sure he's been a little more than brash in your time together, has he not? I've known him his entire life, well, most of it. It's almost sad, how he's become. But some adjust to eternity much better than others."

visualspice · July 03, 2013, 11:59:23 PM

Artemis frowned.
"I don't believe I understand your question." She looked from Bellona, the timidly over to Dietrich as she tucked back some of her hair. "We.. we met at my library." She shuffled uneasily, not sure quite what to tell her. "He.. he had come in late. It was nearly closing time." She sighed, looking down at the book on her lap ad hesitated, uncertain what she ought to tell her. Would Dietrich be mad if she gave any more details then had been presented? "Things had just gotten crazy, and we ended up being chased into the basement..."
And as she phrased it, she dind't realize she had left out key parts and that it sounded a lot differently with some of the descriptions she was omitting...

Lion · July 04, 2013, 12:10:45 AM

Bellona gave a chuckle. "I think you mentioned something about hunters as well. That does sound like Dietrich. He's always running after legends and stories, tomes and treasures. Though why he would pick a demon book, I don't know. That doesn't sound particularly like him. He doesn't particularly become attracted to things that are my powerful than he is, they don't - click. Don't be shy, darling, I'm not here to hinder or harm you in anyway. What library do you work for?"

visualspice · July 04, 2013, 12:15:42 AM

Artemis felt her hands sweat a little as they itched over the book's surface.
"Uth.. Uthlyn... the Library in Uthlyn," she found herself saying with a bit of a pout. Tucking back her hair again, she down cast her gaze. "Yes, there were hunters, though this book wasn't the reason he was there. We.." she hesitated, chewing on her lower lip. "We came upon it by accident when we were being chased."

Lion · July 04, 2013, 12:37:52 AM

"Hmmm," Bellona replied thoughtfully, casting her gaze out toward Dietrich for a moment. She blinked at him, taking in this new information before looking back to Artemis. "Then the book was hidden away on purpose. That much is apparent. Would you let me see it? Demon books rarely like to be distanced from their possessors, but I hope you will be willing to make an exception. Perhaps there's something I can decipher from it."

visualspice · July 04, 2013, 08:02:44 AM

Artemis hesitated at the woman's request. She chanced one look over at Dietrich, then over at Bellona before slowly nodding her head. If Dietrich trusted this woman enough to transport them, she might as well let her have a look. So with uneasy hands, she handed the book over to her.

Lion · July 04, 2013, 12:48:20 PM

Bellona took the book delicately in hand and barely gave the slightest breath of touch. Instantly she could feel it flinch and quiver with an impotent rage, the words of its ward still powerful upon it. She looked at the runes engraved on the cover and her breath caught, the portait of a devil consuming the bodies of children and men alike.

"Kazi-Kalla," Bellona whispered. "That's what these letters spell out. I'm assuming that is the name of the demon. Demons fear their names because identifying them allows you to discover their weaknesses. It corners them and makes them vulnerable. That also makes them very very dangerous. But I see from the other proctective runes on here that this book is meant to contain it within its covers. And at the same time the demon has made his home here. This is both his fortress and his prison."

visualspice · July 04, 2013, 08:34:27 PM

"Kazi-Kalla?" Artemis repeated, then blinked curiously down at the book. She digested what the other told her with a curious frown.
"So.. if the book is it's prison... why was it after us?"

Lion · July 04, 2013, 11:25:01 PM

"Like all demons, they are tricky things. They want to find mortals foolish enough to obey them, or fear them so that they can free them from their prisons and wreak whatever matter of havoc they can upon the world. It's very simple really. Well, others are. In this case, the book chose you because I imagine you were one to make contact with it. All demons test you for vulnerabilities, where your fears lie, your sorrows, anything they can think of to try and get inside your head," Bellona explained. "That's all I can think of for this moment. Just don't tell Dietrich I'm lending a hand, he wouldn't like that."

visualspice · July 05, 2013, 07:33:57 AM

Artemis frowned as she took in what Bellona said. Fears and vulnerabilities..
and she was chalked full of them. She released a held breath and looked down at the floor. What was she to tell Dietrich anyways? It wasn't like she could hide the fact Bellona would know at least something about the book. And as mucha s she wanted to ask for the book back, she really, really did not want it near her.
A book housing a demon..
it made her shiver.

Lion · July 05, 2013, 10:21:34 AM

Bellona held onto the book and rewrapped it in Dietrich's jacket. Her hands ran along the familiar feel of leather and stitches and a smile touched her lips. "Don't worry, Miss Longfellow. We willhelp you get out of this. Even if Dietrich is a butt head."

visualspice · July 05, 2013, 01:24:43 PM

Despite the joke, Artemis frowned. " It seems Dietrich trusts you enough to help us." She bit into her lower lip. "What sort of help can you provide? What can you do? Is there some way we can destroy the book or, for lack of a better word, to put the demon to sleep? You see... It sort of..." She chewed on her lip again. "Clings to us... Following us like a lost child. That's why we haven't just left it behind... We can't."

Lion · July 06, 2013, 01:27:34 AM

Bellona's eyes widened at the revelation and made an 'oh' with her mouth. "Hm, yes, that is quite typical of demons once they pick a 'favorite'. They will cling to you and torment you for as long as they want until you do what they say. Some make physical contact very easily, some can even physiaclly attack you. The only thing tangible I may do is perhaps give you some wards that will help shield you from Kazi-Kalla's influence. Talismans. But Cronus will be able to tell you more on how you might defeat him. Such a demon...may only be squashed by someone greater than him. And I don't think that's Dietrich. As much as he'd like to believe he is."

visualspice · July 06, 2013, 05:12:04 PM

It was a lot to take in as Artemis frowned. "Are... Are vampires... Related to demons?" She asked with sheepish uncertainty.

Lion · July 07, 2013, 02:12:26 PM

Bellona smiled at the question, however quaint. She could understand this young woman, despite her better instincts and what Dietrich was doing with her in the first place made her question eve her own judgment. She seemed sincere enough; and genuiniely terrified at her circumstances.

"Vampires are, in a way. We are each individuals in our own right," she said slowly. "Vampires in creatues of the night. Most who do not learn to control their hungers end up feral and rabid. And then there are those that come together for protection, form a coven to guide ourselves and our lessers. Perhaps we are just more civilized than your typical demon. But some crave power more than others, some would rather not to leanr to steel their desires and run rampant like wild children." At that she cut her eyes to Dietrich and gave a small smile. "But like I said, we are all individuals in our own right."