Once Upon A Spider

visualspice · August 18, 2013, 06:08:47 PM

~~OOC: This is an open thread by requests only. So if you're interested, please PM me ^_^~~

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From a single thread, cast in silver by the moon's light, dangled a spider over her lips. It was said if she ate one widowed spider on the evening of the harvest moon, that she would have a vision of her fate. Long had it been since she had dreamed of a day her mother had conditioned her for, and she felt her blood burn that she was another year nearer to fulfilling her prophecy; a prophecy where it was said she, herself, could take revenge upon the Gods that had imprisoned them here upon these wretched swamps.

She was deep within a forgotten woods, where trees have long since rotted at the roots and their limbs, now skeletal and grey, stuck out like thorns from the soggy grounds of the swamps. These were the lands she paid homage to. These were the lands she was warned she could never leave, least she suffer the consequences where her breath would be sucked clean out of her, and her life to dissolve away. Yes.. Sah-lora feared ever leaving the swamps. If she did, it meant for her a certain death.

Fear of death kept Sah-lora from the boarders of her home, and also fear of the wicked night creatures that hunted and would kill you just to suck out your bones. She often did her work during the day, or in the safe haven of her mother's cabin, if a ritual be needed at nigjt.
But this night was an exception. This was her first night she was allowed to venture out by herself, and purely for the first phase of many rituals she would pay to her betrothed; a demonic prince of the nights. Her mother, having blessed her and drew chalk markings across her leather hood, and placed an curse-blocking amulet of bones around Sah-lora's neck, now kissed her daughter's forehead and sent her out into the wicked night.

And Sah-lora never questioned her mother, even now, as she heard the a haunting wail from across the fog ridden bog. Crouching low upon a rock, Sah-lora's body caked in mud from travel, and as she looked back up at the spider, an eerie, shadow of a figure against the glowing, red mood. Then she dropped the spider right inside her mouth. It's legs wriggled as she ground it between her teeth, and swallowed it fast as she clutched a hand to her throat. Insects and spiders were always so bitter when going down.

It was then she thought she heard something, and whirled around, eyes cutting through the fog.

But nothing was there....

Lion · January 05, 2014, 11:49:14 PM

The fire that whipped across his flesh opened his back in vicious wounds. Ghanon cried out much to the satisfaction of the cloven-hooved tormenters that had discovered his presence within their realm. They were ugly creatures, horns growing out, ridging their brows and growing up and outward on their heads. Their flesh was scarred with burns and lashes and hands were gnarled and clawed on the fingertips. As terrible as they were, they relished in their ugliness, for what savagery was in their hearts became attributed in their physical forms.

The plane of Cadameris had been a risky one, but Ghanon just couldn't resist. The Astralwalker had located a shard in the heart of that dreadful world, where one of the Dread Lords was near its power. But despite his discretion, he had been discovered and had Ghanon not convinced the beastly men of his disguise as a holy man from an enemy realm, they might have done more than briefly tortured him and cast him out.

But the flame whips that had lashed at his back stung as he ran. For though he wasn't yet executed, their definition of casting out involved the captive to run for change in rifts, the opened portal, while being chased by minions and their hounds. But Ghanon would endure all they had to give as he ran for his life, with the shard safely hidden away on his person. He could hear his pursuers getting louder the closer they drew and when he was tired of running he suddenly stopped and turned on them.

His form shimmered and wavered and gone were the tattered robes of the holy man and he was dressed in his black leathers that coated his body. At the sudden change in his form, the minions halted and cried out, stunned. Within his hands, Ghanon charged a powerful ball of energy and launched it at them, the Corrothim magic scourging their flesh. The dogs yelped and were cast aside and a smile of satisfaction grew on his lips at their torment.

"You can't take the fire when it's not in your hands," Ghanon quipped as he pulled the flesh from their very bodies. But just as he was about to finish one off, the presence of their master made the very ground quake.

"DECIEVER! the hoarse voice growled and the powerful voice of the Dread Lord made Ghanon lose his footing. "I should have known! Ghanon of Dragolir! Leave before your flesh is forfeit! LEAVE!" And a mighty hand, giant and its owner unseen, came in a cloud of fire and slammed Ghanon through the portal, sealing it upon his exit.

And through it, Ghanon was thrown into another world, falling through the sky in a blaze of fire, tearing across the night like a shooting star, right into that murky swamp. There was a roar, followed by a blast, and a stinging smell of burning flesh as Ghanon moved and twitched weakly within the muddy crater his fall had created.

visualspice · January 06, 2014, 09:25:00 AM

A piece of spider was still wriggling in her throat. Clearing it, she forced it down with another hard swallow before wiping away at her lips and moving to stand. The next part of the ritual called for a dance and bath in the mud and waters of the swamp- and she was about to remove her clothing, as part of the ceremony dictated she do so, when a flash of light in the sky left her gaping as a shooting star suddenly smashed into the swamp lands, a reaction that caused Sah-lora to drop to her knees.

She had been flinching, and moments after the crater had struck, she blinking peered over the land to where swamp waters and mud sizzled and she could smell a peculiar but familiar stench of burning. Curious, as the falling star had come just moments after the spider had been consumed, she left herself half dressed in nothing more than her slip and a few scraps of leather, fur and bone, and began to wade her way through the chest high deep area of swamp lands around her until the pool thinned out nearest the crater, to where she hesitated in her approach. But upon seeing what had created it shocked her most of all as she dropped to her knees before him suddenly, and let her forehead touch the ground.

"Dark lord!" she exclaimed, not realizing what else to do in the presence of one such as he who fell from the sky. She could only presume this was the Dark Prince she had prayed to for so many years and was promised to wed, but when her call was not answered, she blinkingly lifted up her gaze to watch the charred, twitching form of Ghanon remain (apart from the twitching) still.

Frowning, she studied the man's form more deeply, and took note of his slicked back blonde hair and skin, much like her own. She had presumed the demon prince would have looked... more... demon? And well, as she stood up and lightly kicked his form, her frown deepened as she began to wonder.... if he were the demon lord, he wouldn't look so... dead? And well, unmistakably, he looked just too.... human.

Though curious as it was, she continued to study the man, lifting up an arm here, and resting her ear over his chest to listen to his heart beat and confirmed that infact, despite having fallen from the sky as a star, he was still alive. So maybe this man was a star of some sort? Or...

The idea just occurred to her- perhaps he was just a mere man? And he was sent here as part of her ritual. Fresh human bones were dreadfully hard to come by. Deciding it not wise to leave the man in the mud, she moved back to her supplies and returned, a fur-trimmed leather pouch in hand as she made quick work to dig up some rope, and as she did so- the night creatures she so desperately feared began to make calls in her direction.

Peering over her shoulder in the direction she heard the calls, she made quick work to bind up the body, then promptly began to give him a tug after half redressing herself in her make shift cloak trimmed in fur and beads of bone. But boy was the man heavy, and she was not sure how long she'd be able to drag him like this as she dug her boots into the swampy grounds and pulled and pulled, all the while the wild calls of the night time hunting creatures were growing dangerously closer and closer through the skeletal trees. And it was hard to tell which way the beasts were coming, for the echoes came from all around, and the shadows danced as clouds moved silently over and across the blood red moon.

And just as she spotted the smoke from her mother's cabin, she paused dead in her tracks - for before her was the glistening perfection of a spider's web- and curiously, she paused to tilt her head and watch as a beady, black widow spider crawled down the silver- sparkling laces of her web, and towards the moth prey she had caught. If this was not a sign, she knew not what was.

Snatching the spider, she tossed it into her mouth, and then the moth that had been bond to it, and opened Ghanon's lips and forced the moth inside. Her and her mother would eat good tonight. Fresh human bones and meat was rare indeed. And this one would bring her good fortune and luck in her future, when she was to finally meet with her fated Dark Prince.
And while she tried to coax Ghanon's unconscious form to eat the spider thread incased moth, she began to draw mud markings across his face, and sprinkle frog piss across his clothes, just as the dark clouds rolled away to blanket the pair of them in red moon light.

Oh! But she had forgotten one more thing to bless their kill! (besides, you know, killing him..)
Scrambling around in the mud, it took a few moments of groping but she was able to yank out a mud snake- and the red and black serpent hissed and coiled up beneath her fingers before she moved to set the creature onto Ghanon's belly and held her breath, awaiting which fated direction it would go. And slowly the snake slithered towards Ghanon's chest, and she could only hope that the poisonous snake would bite him so that she and her mother could watch the man die from the terrible fever and shakes.

Yes! This had to be a sign! Oh, how Rizhra would be thrilled!

Lion · January 06, 2014, 10:29:13 PM

Ghanon's consciousness had been taken from him the moment he was knocked from Cadamaris. The force of the giant hand had been a gargantuan one, one he should have anticipated, but it had been too late. The burns had been gone, but they were replaced with scratches and bruises and left him in his solid form. As the strange girl pulled him from his muddy crater, he hadn't been able to realize the shard he had worked so hard to find, had separated from his landing.

It wasn't until he felt the slithering of something cold and wet on his chest did he finally awaken with a savage start. He opened his green eyes and stared eye to eye with the snake. His eyes narrowed and mouth snarled to hiss at the snake. The reptile returned the reply, brandishing its fangs, but after a battle of wills, the snake hissed once more and slithered off his chest. When it did so, Ghanon noticed Sah-lora and the rope that attempted to bind him.

His form shimmered and he phased through the meager ropes before lunging for the red-haired woman. His hands went around her throat, his hands stronger than iron and in his other hand burned a glowing ball of energy, simmering hot and ready to turn her face off. "Who are you and what do you think you're doing!?" he growled.

visualspice · January 07, 2014, 02:17:01 AM

Sah-lora watched in mild fascination as the man charmed the snake, and so it was with no surprise she hadn't run when the man suddenly was upon her- though his display of power was in no way lost upon the girl. ANd she would have replied to him, was he not choking her of breath. But realizing he was hostile and she, panicking under the circumstances, found her boot kicking heavily to his arm as her finger nails scraped at his wrists in hopes to procure freedom from him. She did, after all, not wish to die!

Lion · January 08, 2014, 01:43:13 AM

Her nails did hurt, but it was not nearly enough to break his grip. Ghanon's hands were large and powerful and he instead moved from strangling her to vaulting her up and over his head, launching her into the tree behind him. Wood splintered outward from the blow and instead of taking on the attack, Ghanon instead, stood back and leaned against the first tree he had pinned her against. "Who are you? What are you doing!?" he growled once more.

visualspice · January 08, 2014, 10:38:58 AM

The trees, being long since dead and grey, broke instantly on impact and sent her tumbling to the ground. The prickling sting from the bursting, breaking bite of tree limbs and the sharp slap of swamp ground from her landing made her wince, but the sudden realization he was doing things not quite human had her smiling as she laughed up at his form, gripping onto her side where a pain still throbbed from impact.

"Who am I?" and she found herself laughing again. "I am but a woman of little consequence to man as you- a man who has showed up on the night of the blood moon." And before him she bowed hastily, knees digging into the mud. "For I am the daughter of Rizhra, prophesied killer of Gods. And you.." And here she lifted her green gaze upon him, still ever smiling, "Must be the man I ate spiders for."

Lion · January 08, 2014, 09:07:57 PM

That she was so little winded or wounded from the slam in the tree bark told him that she too was not quite human. Which made this strange enounter all that much more intriguing and much more suspicious. But the Gods no longer had a hold on Ghanon of Dragolir, no longer had a say in his destination or his whereabouts and yet...somehow he felt this meeting was not entirely by accident.

He stood back warily and peered at the strange woman. "You ate spiders? For me? And I suppose your mother told you they would allow you certain gifts? Gifts like...prophecy perhaps? Then you can tell me then, just who am I?"

visualspice · January 08, 2014, 10:02:47 PM

OOC: *face palms*

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Sah-lora's gaze was wide as she stared at the blonde man in wonder.
"Yes," she told him when he inquired about the spiders. "On the night of the blood moon, a vision would be seen." And here she rose off the ground, finding little consequence in the mud that now caked her knees. "Yet I had no idea the vision would be alive!" And she moved forward as her eyes danced across his form, not believing what she was seeing as her hands moved forward as if to touch him.
"To think... the prophecy is alive before me. The Dark Prince has finally come!"

OOC: >_> no Sah-lora, no...

Lion · January 09, 2014, 12:43:38 AM

"Prince huh?" Ghanon said. He had to stop himself from grinning in amusement to keep from leading her further on than she was already leading herself. As she reached out to touch him, Ghanon did not move, but instead he shifted his form to allow her hand to phase through him, as if here nothing more than indeed the vision she spoke of. But when she pulled away, his hand would shoot out to catch hers in a solid tangible grip.

He turned her hand over, back and back until he memorized the finer points of her hand before letting her go. "How can you be so sure? Were there certain signs that your mother told you to seek? Signs of what your prince would look like? What is it exactly that makes him so...dark?" He gave her a small smirk and peered down at her surroundings, his smirk fading. Gods her home left a lot to be desired.

visualspice · January 09, 2014, 06:33:14 AM

To feel her arm (or perhaps, not feel it) pass through the man, made her pale green eyes widened as she smiled. But just as she was drawing her arm back to inspect such magics, the man suddenly grabbed onto her. The grip was rough, but even as she tried to pull away, she fought little as she watched him study her hand.

"Yes... prince," she confirmed, undoubtly sure he was the one of her destiny. Once her arm was returned to her, she curled her wrist towards herself and studied him, eyes dancing.
"And how could I be unsure? It was said on a night when the moon is red as blood, and the black widowed spider is eaten, a vision would come to me here- and I would hear the words of my Dark Prince, and see the clear visions of my future. For vengeance is upon us, and he will help lead me unto victory... to kill my father,a nd to kill any other God who stands in our way!"

ANd at his inquiry of looks, she shook her head.
"I know not what he looked like until today." And her smile continued to grow as she took him in in wonder.

Lion · January 09, 2014, 02:40:42 PM

"To kill a god? Now that is an intriguing plan," Ghanon smirked, crossing his arms in front of him. He stepped back, leaning his back against the tree and nearly scoffed at the red-headed woman. "And why would you want to kill a god? They're not so bad. Unless of course you call spending the rest of your life as someone else's pawn the pinnacle of your existence. Then killing a god sounds like quite a grand time. Do you even know who your precious daddy is? What did he do to cause mommie-dearest to wish his certain death?"

visualspice · January 09, 2014, 09:46:03 PM

"Gods are the bane of all men. It is the Gods who treat us like slaves. My father cursed us to remain here, in these swamps, until the rest of our days. And until my blood is used against them, to summon them here and bring their demise, we will forever be stuck here. But the prince I am promised to is meant to come, and together- we will destroy all that they have built!"

The way her eyes sparkled show-cased the passion held within her breast. She solely believed this, and knew her destiny would someday be full-filled.
"The Gods are only deserving of this, for I have been punished long before my birth- but it has also been seen that through me, the Gods will fall and our freedom shall come."

Lion · January 10, 2014, 12:57:38 AM

"What a lovely way to spend an lifetime," Ghanon agreed with a nod. "Gods really are a pain in the ass, so I understand your sentiments exactly, and share them quite well. I commend you on your pursuit on revenge, and wish you all the best. But, I really must be going now." He flashed Sah-lora a smile and felt against his body the place where he had hidden the shard and just as he was stepping away, his smile slowly faded and he snarled, cursed.

"What the fuck!?" he howled, spinning around and feeling all over his clothes for the shard. "Not again!"

visualspice · January 10, 2014, 09:56:58 AM

Sah-lora blinked as she watched him turn away.
"But you just got here. Are you really to leave so soon? The ritual has yet to be complete and the blood moon, still full. If you'd like, I could find the third and final spider to eat, then cut myself to offer you the blood you deserve."

Lion · January 18, 2014, 11:50:11 PM

Ghanon stared at her with wild eyes. What the hell was it she was rambling on about anyway!? He didn't need to understand her insanity, save that she would serve as little more than a roadblock in his search for the mirror shard that had fallen from his safekeeping. He really hoped he wasn't making a habit of this.

Ghanon turned to Sah-lora and stared at her dead in the eyes, approaching her. "And why would you offer me your blood? As if you are truly worthy of me," he said with a quiet scoff. "What makes you think I would help you? What would a spider prove?"

visualspice · January 20, 2014, 12:26:47 PM

"But you appeared on the night of the blood moon." Her eyes wavered with emotion as she protested. She furrowed her brow. "Are you, a man of power, not connected to the darkness? I can feel it. With us. With you. In this swamp." ANd shaking her head, she added, "And a spider proves loyalty. Blood- promise." And she tilted her head curiously at him, before frowning.

Lion · January 21, 2014, 01:11:17 AM

Ghanon took a step back for a moment and eyed her. She could feel it? Feel him. Ghanon's mind flashed in an instance of separate memory. The shard was gone from his person, but there was suddenly a new energy to her, a power he could feel emanating. But how? The shard...did it somehow enter into her body? It...it couldn't be possible. And yet, far it be it from Ghanon to attempt to measure what was possible and impossible.

"A man of power...I am," he answered at last. "I am of both light and shadow, life and death. I did not see it at first, but now...now I feel it too. Your lifeforce. Your energy." And he suddenly drew toward her like a moth to fire and smashed his lips against hers, drinking of her 'lifeforce' so to speak as he kissed her deeply and hotly, then pulling away.

visualspice · January 23, 2014, 10:31:57 PM

Startled, Sah-lora couldn't properly respond, for if she could have thought of it- she wouldn't have suddenly socked the man clean across the face. Finding her breath, she stared at him with wide eyes.
"What was the meaning of that?!" ANd she touched a hand to her lips and back away from him."And what do you mean life and death?"

Was it, perhaps, another such dark prince who arrived not her own? Maybe she ate the wrong spider.. or was performing this ritual on the wrong night. Shaking her head, she took another step back and kept her eyes cautiously upon him.

Lion · January 23, 2014, 10:38:19 PM

Ghanon stumbled backwards and landed in a muddy puddle of water, as he held his jaw where she successfully struck him. He just laughed and rubbed his cheek, smiling up at her. "Forgive me, I did not realize it from earlier. I have traveled across many worlds, many planes to come here," he said, cracking his jaw back into place and he climbed to his feet.

"Many worlds to find you. When I say I am between life and death it is because I am not quite physical, and yet not quite spirit. You saw it earlier, when your hand passed through me like a ghost and yet your fist collided with my face." He rubbed his cheek still and peered at her from the corner of his eyes. "I have traveled a long time to come here... My journey has take my memory, exhausted me of much of my power, but...it might be restored now that I am here to do what I came here to do."