Another day was just starting as a beauty of a woman made her way down the long winding road that lead in to town. She had bright shinning eyes and wore a wide smile on her face. She looked around and smiled as she thought about just how beautiful the sunrise was going to be on this wonderful morning . What she did not know was that this very morning was about to be the last morning she would ever have. Oh if only she knew how bad this was going to be. If only indeed...
As she came to the top of the hill that she had been climbing so that she could get a better lay of the land she heard a sound. The cry of a wolf. She looked around but saw nothing. So she began to hum a comforting song that her mother would sing to her when she was small. You see this girl was an orphan considering that her father left her and her mother died. Soon she would see the wonderful sun. soon indeed...
Kruz'Iik was hungry.
Starving, actually. It was funny, because one such as himself would never expect themselves to be in this situation in the first place. He'd gone a long time since his last feeding, in an effort to keep himself as focused on his newest experiment as possible. The introduction of carnivorous plants to a certain section of the forest was something that needed to be closely monitored, after all.
But that experiment was over now, and he needed to feed. Reaching out with his mind, he detected a single, lone presence. It wasn't anything of particularly grandiose intellect but at this point, he'd take anything.
His shadowy form slipped away with the wind, and he was on his way.
Raven frowned as she now stood on top of the hill . It seemed that she was not going to be alone for much longer. As she stood there she saw something that made her shiver with fear. It was a pair of red glowing eyes surrounded by shadows. What was this strange creature? Was it after her? So many questions started to fill ravens mind now as she stood there. She the saw that the sun was not up yet. Maybe she had fallen asleep and was now dreaming. She began to back away now not knowing what she should do now. She then took a couple deep breaths and closed her eyes and started to sing. She was wanting to leave but was too scared to move at the moment.
Raven's mind was easy enough to enter, even from the large distance between them.
In the blackness of her sight, Kruz'Iik's eyes would appear, burning down on her like two baleful suns of malice. Her song twisted and jumbled up as Kruz'Iik's presence sent her inferior brain into a subconscious panic.
"The woods are dangerous at night..."
Kruz'Iik tried to force her eyes open, to make her watch as he slowly approached.
Raven now felt a strange sensation wash over her as the creature enter her mind. She was now trying to clear her mind of its presence. She did not like the thought of having another creature entering her mind so freely . She had never encountered a creature like this before. She was kind of confused as to why it had chosen her to torment on this morning.
As she started to jumble her words she knew that this was not going to end well. She then heard what he said. She then had her blue eyes forced open against her will. She looked at the creature as it come ever closer to her. She frowned then tried to respond to him.
" I am not afraid of the woods. I have traveled threw them my hole life ." she stated looking at him. She then tried to run away from him. The more distance she had between them the better she would feel .
"It's not the woods you should be afraid of."
As she turned to run, Kruz'Iik twisted her perceptions, so she'd turn to find herself exactly where she was, facing Kruz'Iik. The ground he walked on fell away into blackness as he approached. The trees all swayed with a wind that Raven couldn't feel.
"It's what's inside of them..."
Raven was terrified to say the least. This creature could control her threw her mind. That alone was enough to scare her. Then there was his looks and the way everything reacted to his presence. The trees moved like there was wind but raven felt nothing. Or was that another trick of her mind ? Raven could not be certain of anything right now. " stay back creature. I am not going to warn you twice." raven stated trying to sound scary. She was not going to show him that she was scared. No she would fight back if she could.
"Or, are there any woods to begin with?"
The trees fell away, the grass withered. They were suddenly in a desert, the heat and winds whipping at Raven. Then, the desert froze over. Weak shrubs sprouted up in the permafrost, and the cloudy sky signaled they were in a tundra.
"Desert, tundra, hellish moonscape. All of these transcend the boundaries of your fear..."
In truth, Raven was still in the forest, but the things he was making her see and feel were just far too vivid for an ordinary person like her to see through.
The next time she blinked, Kruz'Iik would be directly in front of her.
"I can taste your fear."
Raven shivered with fear as she heard his words now. This did not make sense to her. She was now in a hot desert. Then it changed to a cold tundra. Oh how did this creature do this. And why her. " no no please stop." raven whimpered as she stood there. Then she tried to back away. This was not going to work that was for sure.
She then gasped as she saw him in front of her. He was not going to leave her be . No there was something more to this. " get back" she hissed and slapped at the creature. Then she fell on her rear and started up at him. This was not her day . This was going to be a fight she would not win. Though that did not mean she would not try to.
[So, is there any limit to how M-rated this murder can get? Because this long ago, Kruz'Iik was a pretty brutal guy.]
Raven's hand just phased through Kruz'Iik, as if he was just made of gas. He laughed, and the tundra fell away as well, leaving them standing on perfectly flat, gray rock, with the stars still above them. The stars shifted, forming new and alien constellations.
Kruz'Iik kicked forwards with his leg, launching a psychic kick powerful enough to send Raven rolling away from him.
(( No I am up for anything . See I like playing out things like this myself.))
Raven gave a gasp as her hand when threw the creature. She was not sure how she was supposed to attack him if she could not touch him. Maybe her sword could harm him. First though she would have to get up and face him. But that would have to be done latter. She frowned as she saw the tundra fall away in to rock . Then she looked up for a second and cringed as she saw the stars. Did this mean she was no longer on earth?
Raven then was pulled from her thoughts when she saw the creature kick towards her. She did not have any time to react to it. So she yelped and went rolling across the rock. She laid there for a few seconds trying to get over the pain in her side from the kick. She then glared at kruz'lik .
She then stumbled to her feet and tried to draw her sword and run at him. She was going to try to kill him before he could harm her further. Though raven was not certain how she was going to do that.
[Alright!]
Kruz'Iik laughed, a sound which came bouncing off from every corner.
For a mindshifter, there was nothing more delicious than an intelligent mind, and the more stressed that mind was, the sweeter it'd taste. And Kruz'Iik was hungry, so Raven would experience new levels of agony before this was over.
Kruz'Iik stood there, waiting for her, as she ran towards him with her sword. Except, Kruz'Iik wasn't getting any closer. She'd see the ground moving beneath her, she was moving.
Raven heard his laugh and it only made her more upset . she was not sure what she should be doing at this point. she just knew that she has to get him. that is before he could get her. She was going to try to be rid of this creature. As she ran she found that she was not getting any closer. That made her stop and blink she then watched the creature. this was very very strange . what did she have to do to kill this monster? or at least make him leave her alone. this was all very confusing for her. It seemed that no matter what she did she could not attack him. This was going to be a hard battle that was for sure.
Kruz'Iik stared on, and began pacing back and forth, eyes locked onto Raven.
"Come on, try a bit harder," he purred.
"Or are you really this weak?"
Raven frowned as she saw the creature start to pace. This was going to be hard that was for certain. But she knew that he did not know her greatest fear. She was afraid of being whipped. That was more pain then she could handle. As long as he did not know that she was unstoppable. she got mad as she heard the words he spoke next. " I am not weak. I shall kill you for mentions that . " she said. Then she forced herself to try to get closer to this creature. If she succeeded she would try to hit him with her sword.
"Go ahead, then. Kill me!"
This time, Raven closed the distance in only a single step, something that'd probably confuse her long enough for Kruz'Iik to slug her in the gut with his knee, and slam her down to the ground by grabbing her by the back of the neck and nearly throwing her.
Raven almost fell when she noticed how close she had gotten in just one step. Indeed it was very confusing for her when she did that. Then she was even more surprised as he hit her in her tummy with his knee. She cringed and dropped her sword. "ahh" she stated as he grabbed her by the back of her neck. Then she felt a lot of pain as she was slammed to the ground.
She laired there for a few seconds as she tried to get over the pain in her body. She did not move for several seconds as she tried to think of a new plan. Then she slowly tried to stand up. As she did so she forced her self to smile. " is that the best you got bitch?" she hissed as she was on her hands and knees.
"Actually, I think you'll find it wasn't."
The surrounding area faded back into a forest, the very same forest they encountered each other in.
Elaros shot a hand out, reaching out with his mind to lift Raven up off of the ground and send her tumbling away from him.
Raven cringed as she hear what he said. She wanted to run right now. She wanted nothing more then to be away from this creature. She did not say anything back to him. She noticed how the area changed back to the familiar forest that she used to be in. she looked at him with a slightly scared look . She did not like this at all.
She then saw him move his hand outward. Then he lifted her and tossed her again. This time she hit her head hard on a nearby tree. She cringed in pain and held her head. She then rolled over on her belly and frowned. Now she was in trouble. He was at the advantage here. " why do you do this?" she asked with a frown.
"I do this because I must. Because when I consume your mind, your anguish will make it all the more delicious..."
He shot out a hand again, tightening it into a fist. Slowly, he began to pull Raven towards him.
Raven frowned as she heard his replied. It was just as she had feared. He wanted to kill her, even worse he wanted to eat her mind. That fact alone scared her a lot. " oh my. You will not get the chance to get me like that." she said with a trembling voice.
She shifted abit to where she could try to get her barring. She looked at him and cringed as saw him make a fist. She tried to move away from him. She did not want to be his next victim. As she tried to move away she felt herself being pulled closer to him. That was not where she wanted to be right now . No she wanted to be far away from him.
As Raven was dragged across the ground towards him, Kruz'Iik remained deathly silent. He was certainly anticipating his next meal. It wasn't often that he had the opportunity to feast so bountifully. Most of the minds he'd eaten were taken quickly. He never really had the time to savor it...
He started to pull her to him a bit faster.
"Oh, but I think I will get the chance. You're mine!"
Raven was trying hard not to show that she was now terrified. She was wanting so badly to runaway from this creature. However she could not get away from this creature. She tried to hold on to the ground as she was pulled along. She however was unable to do this. She frowned and saw that she was starting to move along faster. That was the last thing she wanted. As she moved she tried to move and break his grip. She was not going to let this happen to her.
She then cringed as she heard what he now said. She was not his . No she was not anyone's. " no please stop." she said now as she drew ever closer to him. Now she was almost to him. This was not good at all.
Once she was close enough, Kruz'Iik reached down and snatched her up by the leg, holding her upside down with so little effort, she might as well have been a stuffed doll. Although he couldn't smile in this current form, the impression was there.
Ruthlesly, he threw a punch, aimed right at her stomach.
Raven was trying not to scream as she was drug ever closer to the creature. Then when she got close to him he lifted her up by her leg . She then hung there in the air for a few seconds as she saw his look. He was getting pleasure from this. That was not good. She wiggled trying to get free. She was unable to get away.
Then she yelped in pain as he hit her in the tummy. She shivered in pain and squeezed her eyes shut. She was hurting right now that was for sure. After a second or two she tried to get free from his grip. She was not going to get away though.
Kruz'Iik's eyes narrowed. His assault slowed, and he paused, still holding her as she tried to squirm free. He held her up a bit higher, grip tightening on her ankle.
"What is your deepest fear, I wonder? Perhaps I should take a look inside and find out..."
Raven saw his eyes narrow as she tried to get away. She was not going to allow herself to just take his beating. No Darkhearts were fighters. Though she was not certain how much more she could take. She was growing weak. She now stopped trying to get away and panted slightly. She was now almost excepting the fact that she was at his mercy. She was lifted higher and his grip tightened. That was painful for her and she made a whimpering sound as the pain ran through her leg.
She now looked at him as he asked his question. She did not want him to know that much about her that was for certain. Though she was sure that he would find out one way or another. She was going to ruin that much of his fun anyhow. " I fear ..... the whip.... and death ....the same..." she mumbled now. She then shivered and hoped he would not make this last too long.
Kruz'Iik laughed.
"In all my years of existence, I've never encountered such a pathetic creature."
He tossed her away from him, still laughing. His laughter seemed to shake the trees, to cause the stars in the night sky to quiver.
The branches of the trees started growing longer, and thornier. They coiled about, forming loops...
...just like whips.
A tree branch lashed at the ground in front of Raven, causing a horrible gash in the dirt. Kruz'Iik's laughter ceased, and he looked over to her.
"Start running, worm."
The trees around her drew their branches back, as if preparing to strike.
Raven frowned at the creature as he laugh at her. It was not like she could not be afraid of him at this point . Though if she were smarter she would not have told him her fears. But it was not like she was thinking straight right now either. She then glared at him when he called her pathetic. That was not true at all. Now she was not pathetic. She was the tossed away from the creature and rolled across the ground. She cringed as she heard his laughter. She was going to try to run from him.
As she thought about this she saw the trees start to changes. that was not good at all. As she saw what they looked like she scrambled to her feet. Then she saw the whip like limbs hit the ground in front of her. That made her scream abit now. She then heard him tell her to run. Well he did not have to tell her twice that was for sure. She ran fast trying to avoid getting hit. She was not sure how but maybe she would outrun him now.
Kruz'Iik gave Raven a few seconds head start, watching her try and sprint away. He was like a cat, in the sense that he liked watching his prey struggle.
It wasn't long, though, before thorny branches were lashing at her thighs and legs, trying to make shallow but painful lashes. The trees whipped at her arms, sides, back, and sometimes even her front. None of the blows were powerful enough to knock her onto her feet, this was more like running a gauntlet.
Raven did not take the time to look behind her as she ran onward. She was hoping to get away from this creature. However she soon found that he was not going to allow that.. She then felt one of the trees branches hit her in the leg. Then several more hit her. She started to run faster now. She cringed as the pain came through her fear. She came to the edge of the hill while getting hit by several more of the thorny branches . One hit her in the face and eye. That made her yelp loudly in pain, She then slid down the hill hoping to avoid anymore of the attack.
The trees didn't relent, even as she slid down the hill. They could no longer reach her, but it didn't stop them from trying.
She'd gotten a couple of feet down the hill before Kruz'Iik appeared in front of her. No smoke, no poof, no theatrics. He just suddenly existed. He went for a stomp onto her stomach, intended to stop her slide.
Raven was glad that those horrible trees could no longer reach her. Though she knew that she was still in danger . He was still out there. As she slid she saw him in front of her suddenly. That made her gasp but she could not get away from him. Then she cringed as she was stomped by the creature. Her poor tummy was really hurting. That was the least of her worries right now though. She was stopped from sliding by him and now turned away from him. She felt tears running from her eyes . She was afraid and did not want to die. Though there was no escape for her now.
Kruz'Iik looked down at Raven, pinned under his shadowy foot.
"All you do is whimper and beg. Is there no fight in you? No desire to wrench your hands from my claws?"
He reached into her weakened mind, pulling from her memories and fears, looking to incite her into a desperate fury. Finally, he found it.
"You'll die like your mother, worm. Under my foot..."
Raven looked at the creature who had her pinned to the ground. She could tell that he wanted a fight. He wanted her to try to get away from him. But what good would that do? A better question was how could she do that? She stopped crying and looked him in the eye. She would fight him . She would not let him simply kill her . Not without a little bit of effort. " you have not killed me yet. You do not know what I am capable of." she stated with an intense voice. She was slowly moving her hand to her side. She was going to hit him with one of her arrows.. She just had to get the timing right.
She then felt the sensation of him reaching into her mind. She was unable to fight him though she did try to resist him. Then she heard what he said. He was the one that killed her mother. That made her darker persona come forward. See ever since her parents died she had dark urges at times. Now her would feel them in full force. " you are wrong. I will kill you and avenge her death." she said with a dark tone.
Then she tried to stab him in the leg with the arrow that she had in her hand. She wanted to hurt him. She wanted him to feel the pain that she felt. She wanted revenge.
The arrow passed through Kruz'Iik's leg, swishing it away like he was made of smoke. Despite the fact that his form was disrupted, the weight on her stomach remained. He laughed, allowing Raven no respite, satisfaction, or release from her anger.
Instead, a spike rose from the ground beneath her, jutting out from the side. It was aimed to impale the elbow of the arm holding the arrow, breaking it in a most agonizing fashion.
Raven frowned as she saw the arrow simply pass threw his leg. Oh that was just great. No wander he was so powerful. He was some sort of evil spirit. Or so raven thought anyway. She frowned as she still felt the wait of his foot on her tummy. Then he laughed at her again. She glared at him and tried to move away. She needed to be free from him. Though that would be a hard task.
She then hollered in pain as she felt the spike that rose from the ground go threw her elbow breaking the bone as it went. Oh that hurt more then she ever thought something like that would. She took several breath trying not to scream as the pain racked her arm. She then glanced at him with a look of pure hate.
Kruz'Iik laughed, and retracted the stone spike back into the earth. He picked Raven back up by the neck, and held her up high. He mocked her with silence, to show her that she wasn't even worth his words anymore.
Raven just glared at him as he laughed at her. He was not deserving of her anger but yet she felt it. her eyes would get darker as her evil persona took control. she was not going to let them die. She then cringed again as the spike when back in to the earth. Then she was picked up by her neck by this creature. She wiggled trying her best to get free. She did not like being picked up like that. And the silence made her that much more uncomfortable. " you are going to kill me now? well just know if you do I will make you pay for it." she hissed. She started to swing her feet up trying to put all of her weight on his arm. Though she did not weigh much it was still worth a try.
"Oh, you're not going to die yet..."
He placed his hand over her hurt stomach, almost as if to soothe away the pain.
"Greater horrors await."
He started to tug mockingly on her clothing, hinting to her at what was about to happen.
Raven was not very happy right now to say the least. She was wanting to hurt this creature but could not. She flinched as he touched her tummy not wanting him to touch her. " stop doing that. " she snapped trying to get away from him again. She then looked at him in horror as she got the jist of what he was about to do. That scared even the dark half that was now out. " you wouldn't dare." she hissed.
"Oh, I dare...."
Kruz'Iik moved his arm and pinned Raven against a tree. He grabbed a good fistful of the bottom of her top, and gave it another tug to spook her.
[Do you want to take this bit to the PMs? I'd prefer to.]
Raven gasped as she heard what he was saying now. That scared her a lot. She had never though anything like this could happen to her. She cringed as she was pinned against the tree. This was not good at all . She whimpered and looked away realizing she could not stop him from doing this.
(Yeah I think that would be best)