GOD
dainty goddess
No, no! GOD
mmm, so cute =]
they're soft, and pale
ignore that comment
*is dirty minded*
Everyone knows that!
Isn't cute.
EVIL SPAMMER of DOOOM
Got Globally Banned
Posts: 530
(6/3/07 5:27 pm)
Destruction of an Ivory Tower
January 5, 311
“Twelve little monkeys jumping on a bed…” Crystal heaved a bucket of soapy water up the stairs of the enormous building, intending to reach the meeting room that took up the entire top floor. While she lugged the bucket up each of the stairs, she successfully soaked the tan pumps on her feet and created a potential life threatening hazard. Looking down at the soft suede material of her shoes, she muttered a curse, set the bucket down on the step above her, and quickly pulled the soaking wet death traps off. Then the Elder continued up the stairs until she reached the top floor, her arms aching and her back just a little more tender than usual. One fell off and bumped its head She was getting to old for this, she supposed, but help was needed in the city of Genil. There just weren’t enough people willing to show support of the government, let alone work in the walls of a castle that had once fallen to the darker cities. Crystal cursed herself for Genil not being stronger, more well equipped, and ready for the invasion. A disaster like the Genil War would never happen again, even if she had to build forty foot walls around the city right by her damn self. Determination set in across the woman’s face as she glanced around the circular room with its domed ceiling high above her head. This would be the first place in the palace to be cleaned. Momma called the doctor and the doctor said… No more monkeys jumping on the bed.
Crystal shivered as she plunged her hands into the icy water from the Genil river, it was still yet early spring and the water had the chill of a long, cold winter in it. Her hands, pale by nature, seemed to turn blue under the cold water, reminding her of the bodies the police force had pulled from the river after the war had ended. She, herself, had stood there as they did so, her hair whipping in the wind as snowflakes fell and stuck in the brilliant fire-like mass. She remembered, and would always remember. Forgetting just wasn’t an option for someone like Crystal Dinaia. Gritting her teeth, she pulled her hands back from the water, a sponge clenched in them, and sent a spray of water across the white marble floor, now dingy with shoeprints. The white streak the water left was enough to drive her into action. She began with the cherry wood table, still surrounded by plush leather chairs, recently reupholstered by a local seamstress and those that were splintered, rebuilt by a woodworker. The places were all there, just missing the faces and bodies who had once adorned them so graciously, the people who had once loved Genil as much as she. And yet, now, in the aftermath, she felt so alone… So fragile. She thought about Morrigan, their last meeting, and the sadness her eyes had been filled with. Just be thankful she’s alive Crystal, even if she won’t return to her chair in this room. She is still alive and that is more than you know about the others. In her head, along with her thoughts, she continued to sing a sad nursery rhyme her mother had taught her, one about monkeys and their sad little monkey fates. The grime and dust came off of the table with a little effort, and soon, the wooden thing was gleaming.
Five little monkeysThe Elder moved on to ripping down the already shredded curtains that hung around the room and covered the magnificent ten foot tall windows. The glass no longer existed, but the spaces in the stone were still there. She would have to call someone in to replace the panes of glass, maybe even with stained glass, though that would take away from the pure white of the outside of the building. Crystal hummed as she piled the filthy scraps of silk in the middle of the floor. Soon she would need to address the public on the Council’s stance on the future, but how could she voice the opinions of twelve when she had only spoken to one? How could she reassure so many people when she herself was not reassured at all? The curtains were finished sooner than Crystal’s thoughts were, as she retreated to a small closet tucked away outside the meeting room. There, she found a broom, a mop, and a large rat with beady red eyes. Startled, she squeaked and yanked the broom and mop out of the closet, then slammed the door, leaving the rat in place. She’d have to notify someone with a more stable view on vermin that he was hiding there.
The elder sauntered back to the room, barefoot and for the first time in days, a little upbeat. Her legs were shapely, even without her characteristic heels on, but for the moment she looked like a little girl playing dress up in her mother's clothing. She had dressed conservatively, in a simple dress that hit her curves in just the right places. Cream colored linen had somehow shaped itself to suit her exactly, ending just below her knees and clinging to her hips with a strange sense of abandon. The dress didn't bell out at the waist, but stayed straight and sometimes made stretching a bit of a problem. The top of the garment was simple as well, strapless but not revealing in nature. Her mass of long red hair was held up by a single clip, leaving her back down to her shoulder blades soft and bare. A single gold chain with a pearl pendant rested in the hollow of her throat, accenting her delicate collarbones. Crystal had the ability look regal and as if she was in control of the situation even if she wasn't. It didn't matter, not many knew her inner thoughts. Then again, no one truly needed to know what went on behind her sapphire eyes - there was too much guilt for anyone other than her to process. Setting the broom and mop down in the room, she began to carry the shredded curtains to outside the room, she would take them downstairs soon, but for now, she wanted to see the floor shiny with all of its ability. Maybe that alone could bring back the magic of this room and perhaps, the ghosts of the Elders that swam before her eyes would become something more. She began to sing again as she swept the loose dirt off the floor, even bowing to the broom once and dancing with it as if it was a ballroom partner. A ballroom partner... The Festival of Lights. Crystal dropped the broom as her eyes glazed over, as if in a dream. Pulled almost magnetically, she drew close to a set of windows which opened out into the plaza in front of the castle. The strange tree that grew here was beginning to leaf out, tiny green buds on its magnificent branches, a promise of the future. She walked, almost pulled without control, on to the balcony without the thought of it not being able to support her weight. The sun was beginning to rise fully, spreading its way over Genil, her Genil, but Crystal was in an entirely different place filled with memories that brought wonderfully happy tears to her eyes and spilling on to her cheeks. Morrigan had looked magnificent that night, in all of her bratty wonder! Lumen, oh Lumen. Her dear friend whom she had flirted with shamelessly. All of the people of Genil had celebrated with a sense of freedom unlike she had ever seen.
Crystal stood on the balcony as the wind pulled her hair from the control of the gold clip, lost in daydreams. High above the world she knew has her own, she felt her own voice escaping her lungs and being tugged away by the cold wind. "One little monkey jumping on the bed, she fell off and bumped her head... Momma called the doctor," her voice cracked as she spoke, "and the doctor said, 'n'more monkeys jumping on the bed.' " The nursery rhyme haunted her so greatly, and yet, it was so fitting. Glancing down at the ground again, she felt her stomach wiggle in fear. Being up this high brought back the age old fear that she might hurl herself off and become a crumpled heap on the ground below.
Sighing softly, Crystal placed her hands on the rail at the edge of balcony and spoke to herself, yet again, "Where are you, guys? I... I think I need you." No one answered immediately and her hair fell from the clip, becoming an auburn tornado around her face.
"The white city fell without her. Peace revolved around her, but when the mother left her children, they destroyed one another... She'll never forget that she left--she'll wear the chains of the martyr as she pulls the world's weight behind her, still thinking she's not doing enough." Morrigan Aensland
Morrigan Aensland's painted claws dragged across the white marble, pulling the dust away in small, jagged trails as she watched the people and they, in turn, stared back at her. Their eyes were unmoving, like this white city--unloving, like the dust and the plants that ripped down what little dignity Genil's white walls had left. So much had come to pass--so much had she lost... A respect that she had never quite gained had been lost in an instant to another's folley, and sometimes, she wished that she could wipe their sneers away. Everywhere she stepped, she was a traitor. These people who stared at her saw only her blood, not the fact that she lost pieces of her body for this very town. She had been the last--the last of the elders still around when the others fled or were taken captive. She was the one who stayed behind--the one who fought until her body cracked beneath the pressure of their weapons and they took from her her dignity and the left wing on her head. Her hair had lost color in one streak, bleached by the stress of trying to keep this little world in order--and what did they pay her with? Distrust. She was a demon.
Well, at least I'm no fool.
She watched the windows of the white palace, staring at the redhead who occasionally bounced in and out of view. Crystal had such resolve--she broke Morrigan's heart with it. "How..." You baffle me, Crystal Dinaia. Do they look at you differently? Yes, but still with resentment. How can you work so hard for a people who help you naught... give you naught... The answer was easy--Crystal was a mother. She would live forever in her children and though they hated and turned from her, she would struggle on. Morrigan had not set foot in that white castle again--there was nothing for her there. In that place was a memory that haunted her--that thought that Crystal would leave again for the unknown.. a thought that drove her far away, and yet drew her back to watch. The elder appeared in the window, so frightened... Her hair whipped about her face in waves of the red sea with the tides of the world on her face. Morrigan was there, in the center of a broken city, a black mar upon its white walls, and as the wind picked up, her hair blew back. Her wine wings' velvet skin caught the breeze and stood unfurled, and for all her glory, she would never be forgotten as Morrigan Aensland--the traitor to her kind. She was a demon who fought for the lives of humans, and somewhere in the great plane of Second chances, her left headwing was tacked as a trophy to some demon's wall. The pain was so vivid that in the coils of sleep, sometimes, she felt it again... just like that aching when she woke to find nothing. Nuki had been taken, and she was the last that had been inside the walls at the end. Outside her own door, Morrigan had fought the great battle and lost. She failed her post and her family.. as much as any of them. The fact that she had been there longer had not changed the outcome... merely lost her an appendage as well as the war.
"How dare she show her face back here...? That Crystal... It was because she left the elders were weak.. because she abandoned us that we were to die at the hands of those monsters..." Whispers of ignorance along the shadows of the streets where Crystal could not hear them in the light of the full-blooming day, though she knew they were there. Here, in Morrigan's environment, the speech was always the same--how the elders had fallen short. It was whatever one had come too close that day that bore the brunt of the attack, and since the week had passed where the redhead worked so hard to restore a town no better than the towns that had raided it, she was the focus of its wicked hisses and anger. For the moment, Morrigan was spared, but she felt no relief in her momentary safety. Morrigan did not hide, she merely sat by--she wanted nothing to do with these creatures anymore--what had they to deserve of her? Crystal was here to baby them now, and they still hissed her name like a curse... Undeserving and ungrateful, they lay their neck upon the block and scream that the blade fall--and then curse the one who cuts the rope.
These were the people that she had fought for--that a piece of herself had died for. They filled her with a rage unimaginable in the heat of the summer night. Their lives spared because ours were taken, and they still curse us for not d The adults huddled the children as Crys walked past, smiling their fake smiles as if they cared a bit for what she went through, but their lying eyes were easily read, and the pain was apparent and struck soundly on the heavy heart of the white city's founder. The succubus could not stand it.
"How dare you all... Your shame is your own. That you could think such things and not die of embarassment is appalling. She lays her life down for you! And you dare... you dare..." Morrigan raged, the attention on her for that moment and that moment alone, and it was an attention she didn't want. Eyes stared at her, people hissed their appall.. but more than anything, from the back of the crowd, just close enough to hear yet not far enough away to not be seen, stared a pair of sapphire blue eyes that carried the world upon them... Morrigan turned around to face the south, standing alone in the crossroads of the city as the people scattered away, shamed at her outburst.
In the closed dark of her room so familiar in Nureese, Sevren stared at her across the flaming candle...
"Crystal Dinaia will never forget nor overcome her fate. She's damned, to be sure, for her good deeds... It's the reason I never put my neck on the line for anyone but myself and immediate family. Not until this, and now I understand fully why not.... Crystal... The white city fell without her. Peace revolved around her, but when the mother left her children, they destroyed one another... She'll never forget that she left--she'll wear the chains of the martyr as she pulls the world's weight behind her, still thinking she's not doing enough."Edited by: Sethron at: 6/4/07 10:54 pm
GOD
dainty goddess
No, no! GOD
mmm, so cute =]
they're soft, and pale
ignore that comment
*is dirty minded*
Everyone knows that!
Isn't cute.
EVIL SPAMMER of DOOOM
Got Globally Banned
Posts: 540
(6/4/07 10:27 pm)
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower
The calm always came before the storm. One of the enormouse wooden doors banged against the wall as the wind sent a gusty breath through the room. Crystal turned from the window, her eyes wide with surprise. That’s who Crystal Dinaia was, heels and haunted eyes, more than anyone had every bargained for and still yet, less than she wanted to be. She let out a gruff laugh as she turned back to the world outside. It would have been easier to assume that no one had turned to run when Genil was at her worst. It would have been heaven to believe that the Elders loved this city enough to stand and fight, but she couldn’t think of anyone but Morrigan who had remained in this wasteland, everyone else had fled to the furthest outreaches, to their plush summer homes and extravagant hide-aways. The people of Genil had been sitting ducks and even this many years after the war, they were angry, sullen, and heartbroken. They blamed her as well as the rest of the Council for their own misfortunes and perhaps they were not all together unreasonable.
I never chose to leave…I did what had to be done. What should have been done. I asked for your help, Genil, and you would not give it to me. One person alone cannot save a city! God knows I tried. I tried, god damnit. The faces below in the city still bore the traces of distrust, of blame, of guilt, but as long as they could curse someone else for what had happened, they would continue to live on. She supposed for their sake, she would be their whipping boy. For if she truly loved the citizens of Genil, she would take their burden on her own back and love them just the same. This was who she was, this was the spirit Crystal embodied. She was silent until she turned back to Kro, her eyes aflame with anger and an emotion much deeper than that.
“You've seen much Genil, but have you seen the same things as I?” She spoke to the citizens, angry at hurt at their outrage, attempting to hide her guilt in anger. Her jaw was clenched and her cheeks flushed as she continued. “You must have been locked inside a cave with a demon so sad, so beautiful, and so dangerous that you started to believe his words, right? You must have stayed there, a willing captive, so caught up in another person’s life that you could not find your own, could not defend the one thing that you loved. The one, damn, thing. Were you there?” By the time she finished talking, she was choking words out in a voice filled with anguish, hurt, and hatred. It didn’t sound like her own to her ears, but it didn’t matter, her eyes could see nothing but red.
She had spent seven years away from Genil, going to track the demon Fedafyr almost a year before the war had begun. Somehow, the woman had found herself lost entirely in a maze of her own making. Her own fear, her own lust, and her own pain coupled with Fedafyr’s sense of control over her had kept her imprisoned for nearly two years of her life. So much time had been lost, but then again, had it really disappeared? Hadn’t she learned not to play with fire? Hadn’t she learned that she, herself, was ice and could be melted easily. But he had let her go. Didn’t that have to mean something? He hadn’t killed her perhaps because he knew death would be a willing substitute to the torture of every day life.
Crystal had spent the past five years, the five years since the war trying to collect her own thoughts and trying to overcome the nightmares that lingered in the thought she herself could not unlock. She, alone, utterly alone had screamed until her voice was hoarse after seeing the destruction of her city. That knowledge, along with the destruction of her mind, had brought her to the point where she couldn’t function in every day life. She was a mirage of Crystal Dinaia, far away, she looked the same but if one was to get close, her soul was almost entirely gone.
The heard a voice from the crowd below that almost made her laugh and in the same instant, nearly made her cry. The message was clear, though she wasn’t looking, the shout of rage was one of a person so close to her own heart that she could nearly make it beat. Morrigan. Crystal was calm now, “She’s right. Absolutely, perfectly right. How dare they say the things they say? And you, how dare you believe that you know me now when you know nothing of what has happened to me. Too much has changed for that. The world itself for you and I is forever changed. If your heart never rested here in Genil, spread your wings and fly, you aren't needed any longer. Leave.”
"The white city fell without her. Peace revolved around her, but when the mother left her children, they destroyed one another... She'll never forget that she left--she'll wear the chains of the martyr as she pulls the world's weight behind her, still thinking she's not doing enough." Morrigan Aensland
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower"Let the ignorant have their words, Morrigan." a voice called out from the crowd.
The masses seemed to part as a light wind traveled through the streets. There stood Kentaro Maeda, another elder. His black hair was tied back rather tightly, so the only thing that blew in the wind was his kimono. The symbol of Fuilteach was plainly seen on the back of the robe, as well as the pendant that hung from his necklace. He had just come back from his sermon, a troupe of followers found behind him.
The teachings of Fuilteach were becoming more and more accepted in Genil. People enjoyed the carnage that he spoke of. They enjoyed the spectacles in the temple even more-so. Still, the people weren't too confident in his abilities to run a church simply because he was an elder. It infuriated him like no other. Who were they to judge? Who were they to criticize?
"In the end, only the gods truly care about what you've done." he said, his face void of emotion. He stepped forward, his followers going among their business. His white socks were spotted with blood, as were his sandals, but he could care less. He had seen the redheaded woman in the window. He would be damned if he didn't go up and speak to her.
So with a nod, he passed the succubus, his eyes on the white tower. Maybe this was all a dream. It had been so long since he had seen her. Why did she leave? What would become of the council and of the city? There were so many questions to be both asked and answered. Finally, things would be brought into the light.
So as he opened the massive doors to the tower, he quickly made his way to the stairs. His sandals clicked on each stone step. There were so many of them, but it would give him time to think. He had so many mixed emotions about the entire situation. She left them. She left them all. But she had always been the one who Kentaro could turn to when he had troubles. In the end, this was her world. He valued her opinion more then anyone else's.
Before he knew it, he was approaching the meeting room. How long had it been since he sat at the table? How long had it been since Ken and Morrigan would dispute about almost nothing? How long since Ken saw Crystal smile, and it made him smile? Were those days now over? He took a deep breath and cleared his head to prepare himself for if it was.
Red eyes landed on the redhead as he watched her in the window. The lycan stopped dead in his tracks, afraid of what to say. Afraid of what to do. Absentmindedly, his hands moved to his katana handles. The pair of soulblade swords were strapped to his back, ready to be drawn. However, they would not be drawn here. This was not a time for bloodshed. This was a time for peace and forgiveness.
"Hello, Crystal." he finally said, bowing before her.
GOD
dainty goddess
No, no! GOD
mmm, so cute =]
they're soft, and pale
ignore that comment
*is dirty minded*
Everyone knows that!
Isn't cute.
EVIL SPAMMER of DOOOM
Got Globally Banned
Posts: 545
(6/5/07 1:07 am)
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower
Her hearing seemed to fail her as she felt her body shiver with anger. Her cheeks were wet now, tears appearing partly from the wind stinging her eyes combined with the fear that she had complete lost what it took to be an Elder. She looked down to her fingers clenched around the guard rail on the balcony and suddenly felt stared at by scattering crowds below her, self conscious, she took a step back and wiped her hair out of her eyes and off of the places it had stuck. She wanted to clean, to eradicate the traces of the mayhem that had happed inside the walls of her precious sanctuary, her own personal ivory tower where bad things no longer existed. Maybe if she did that, she wouldn’t feel like her very soul was dropping out of her body. Maybe she wouldn’t lie curled up in her bed for hours upon hours, praying for sleep and not be answered. Maybe everything would go back to the way it once had been.
She felt paralyzed. Crystal could hear the softness of her breath leaving her body in controlled gusts and could almost feel the beat of the blood pumping through her veins. Maneuvering herself out of seeing distance and off the balcony, she pressed herself against the window pane, making sure that no one from the outside could see her. Was she making a fool out of herself by trying to rebuild where no one wanted her? Had she lost Genil - not to demons, not to vampires, not to monsters - but to the very people who made it run? The thought of the citizens of Genil never trusting her caused her heart to ache. Would they revolt if she returned to power after all of these years and intended to tell them what to do? This Council had to come back together or the rebuilding city would be open for attack again. If no one communicated in a clear way they would fall victim to what had already happened. Her thoughts tormented her but she refused to acknowledge just how foolish she was. Crystal Dinaia would return, as would what was left of the Council. They would return and they would make this work - they weren’t tyrants, they were merely rulers and it was their right to do so. Human weakness was common during times of war, but all she could do was apologize for her own shortcomings. She would never tell her citizens where she had been and would never have let them know that it was for their own good. They would never know that she had forbidden this creature to set foot within the city walls again. They would never know and she didn’t care. She would not justify her actions to them because they were better left unsaid. This Elder had not run in fear, but had run in love, for herself, for Fedafyr and Paris, and for the White city.
Crystal stared at her bare feet on the floor without really seeing them, her hair hanging over her face like a crimson curtain, golden streaks shining in it in the morning sun. She looked small, frail even, and had dropped an almost dangerous amount of weight in the past years. Feeling smashed like a bug underfoot, she traced a circle on the floor in the grime that the years had built up. Wanting to cry, but not having the will to made her feel empty, emotionless, and desperate. Crystal felt the other presence in the room it spoke and began to speak a flood of words, “If you've come here to tell me to leave I'm in my rightful place--…”Hello, Crystal. She was interrupted before she finished by the sound of a different voice and she looked up suddenly, her mouth frozen mid-sentence.
“…Kentaro.” The Elder’s voice was soft as she addressed him. He was too sedate to feel any anger toward, his eyes seemed not to judge her as she met them. She wanted to apologize to him, to promise that she’d never go away again, to seek retribution but it was no good. There wasn’t a need for that now. Pushing herself off the wall, she stood in front of him, eye to eye. They were the same height, unless she had her infamous heels on. Her lips curved in a tiny smile as she took one of his hands in her own and said the only thing that really mattered right now. “It is good to see you, my friend.”
Could three hundred years of friendship between her and the rest of the Elders belittle her transgressions?
"The white city fell without her. Peace revolved around her, but when the mother left her children, they destroyed one another... She'll never forget that she left--she'll wear the chains of the martyr as she pulls the world's weight behind her, still thinking she's not doing enough." Morrigan Aensland
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower
Her grip was firm, almost desperate, but the softness of her skin made him forget all of that. Her voice, something he hadn't heard in awhile, made him smile. However, his smile faded as his crimson eyes filled with tears, and he gripped her firmly in a rather large hug. Sobbing, he held her close to him, burying his face in her neck. "Where did you go? Why did you leave us?" he asked between sobs.
So much for control in the situation. So much for playing things cool. He couldn't help it. She was a valued member of his life. She was the head member of the council. She was the peace keeper. Without her, Kentaro had nothing to work with in his life but strife. So, holding her in his arms assured him that things would get better.
They had to.
He grew tired of the constant bickering. He had grown tired of maintaining the shrinking army that defended the city. Without elders, that's all he was. A general to the people. However, he had also became a man of the cloth. Two different professions, but only one man. It was a lot of weight to carry. Seeing his old friend gave him new hope to carry the weight even further.
Finally, he released her, wiping the tears from his face. "Forgive me, old friend. I was afraid I'd break you after awhile." he said with a laugh. His hand went to the back of his neck as he scratched nervously. Just what would he say?
She looked different then the last time, but that was understandable. She had been gone for years, and it showed. Her dropped weight concerned him. The elder frowned, brushing some hair out of her face. "You're not looking your best. Come with me to my house. I can give you a hot bath and a big meal. You would be feeling better in no time."
He bit his bottom lip, mentally kicking himself for saying that she didn't look good. But, he was only trying to be honest and a good friend. His frown didn't leave his face as he could only look at her. He didn't even bother with the surroundings. He didn't care what the meeting room looked like. All that mattered was that friends were once again united.
GOD
dainty goddess
No, no! GOD
mmm, so cute =]
they're soft, and pale
ignore that comment
*is dirty minded*
Everyone knows that!
Isn't cute.
EVIL SPAMMER of DOOOM
Got Globally Banned
Posts: 546
(6/5/07 3:34 am)
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower
Crystal’s body didn’t know how to react at first, freezing her in place where she stood, all of the breath knocked out of her for an instant. Emotions that fell away from the diet of hurt and anger that her soul had been feeding on exclusively flooded her body. For a moment, she felt like she was at home, even if the embrace she was caught in was once racked with its own amount of pain. The darkness permeating her soul disappeared for a single brief moment and she returned the hug as much as she could, wishing she could evaporate the tears of one of her closest friends and absorb all of his worry, then disperse it. She breathed, her chest expanding as much as it could and time stopped. He didn’t hate her. The thought was liberating by itself and gave her the smallest sense of hope. His tears fell on the skin of her neck like hot raindrops, his breath hot against her shoulder. The sensations were familiar, yet alien. No one had broken the personal boundary of the Elder in quite some time.
Her nose was pressed against Kentaro’s hair as she breathed deeply, trying not to sob herself. They couldn’t both fall apart at the same time or they’d end up a blubbering pile on the dirty floor. As comical as the idea seemed, it wouldn’t be a good one for both of their sakes. She smelled something unusual about him, aside from the usual aftershave and cologne, the smell of a forest, rough and welcoming. Soft against her face, just the touch of another person’s hair made her feel as if she belonged in society. She hadn’t been touched, let alone held, in over five years. Her stomach crawled at the fleeting thought of the last touch her skin had felt, but she pushed it away. For now, she would feel purely happy, the next instant, she could be afraid again. She stayed silent to the questions because the true answers, they only brought the crawling sensation back. “I had to Kentaro.. I’m sorry for leaving you. I’m sorry for leaving the Council.” Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes , swimming until they spilled over and glided down her porcelain skin.
A while later, his hands released her and she stepped backward two steps and clasped her hands behind her. His tears were still drying on her skin as he spoke his next words. An apology, to which she responded, “I haven’t broken yet and I don’t intend to any time soon.” He was at a loss for words and she could see it, and not knowing what to say herself, she merely bit down on her lip and studied him as well. She’d seen the temple that had been built in Genil, a new structure built over destroyed shops. It made her smile as she looked at him, to think of him preaching to a crowd. The smile that graced her face did wonders for her appearance, creating a beautiful woman where a plain, sad faced one had once stood. There was something about the fleeting smile that changed everything about her, creating an entirely different aura, but as quickly as it had come, it was gone.
Crystal knew she wasn’t looking her best and his telling her so didn’t offend her. Anyone who didn’t care wouldn’t haven’t mentioned it. Her heart swelled a little and she nodded, “Dinner sounds wonderful, Kentaro. Perhaps tonight or tomorrow night? I have some things I want to finish here before I do anything for myself.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten something that she’d cooked, let alone anything hot. Better in no time? Could she really feel better in no time? The idea was splendid but far fetched, possible though. Somehow, it made her happy.
Kentaro’s voice pierced her thoughts and she realized she’d been staring at him, lost in a world of her own design. She should have been embarrassed, but she wasn’t. Crystal didn’t have it left in her to be worried about social graces. Her hand rubbed the small freshwater pearl pendant and she bowed her head at his words. I missed you. Relief washed over her body as she closed her eyes, dark lashes closing over jewel-toned irises. His words rang true and hit her very soul. He, at least, along with Morrigan hadn’t just given up on her without caring. They had been waiting for her return as much as she dying to make it. Crystal sank into one of the high backed chairs around the table, her legs rubbery and tired from a night of no sleep. “I missed you too. God knows I missed you too.”
"The white city fell without her. Peace revolved around her, but when the mother left her children, they destroyed one another... She'll never forget that she left--she'll wear the chains of the martyr as she pulls the world's weight behind her, still thinking she's not doing enough." Morrigan Aensland
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower
He watched her every action, standing firm in the entranceway. His hands came together, the frown leaving his lips. Red eyes questioned her. Wondering what would happen next. She had become darker, a hint of shadow deep in her soul. Her scent didn't leave his nostrils, nor did he mind. He didn't see her before his transformation, so everything was a brand new experience all together.
He could hear her light breaths, even her heartbeat. He could smell the sweat, soap, and dirt upon her skin. Her scent was sweet, but Kentaro tried his best to keep his mind off of it. Slowly, he stepped forward, taking a seat as well. "Tonight, if I'm not imposing too much. I'd love to have you at my house..."
He ran his fingertips along the dusty chair that he was sitting on. His other hand traced out intricate patterns in the dust. He sighed to himself, rather contently. "But, if you'd like some help, I'd love to lend a hand to you. But first, you need to rest up. I don't want you exhausting yourself just to clean." He blew the dust off of his fingertips, the fingers beginning to rub into each other.
He closed his eyes for a brief second, sighing contently. With their leader back, things would turn around. Genil would thrive again and peace and serenity would overtake her citizens. Good times would be had again. But there would still be hardships. There will always be hardships. But with friends, you can always overcome.
He turned his attention back to her, a light smirk on his lips. There he went again, smiling. He would have to get used to being around Crystal again so he could get back to being all serious. Smirking didn't come natural to him, so it felt strange for his lip to curl up. Still, he shook his head and scoffed. "What's the game plan then, boss lady?"
GOD
dainty goddess
No, no! GOD
mmm, so cute =]
they're soft, and pale
ignore that comment
*is dirty minded*
Everyone knows that!
Isn't cute.
EVIL SPAMMER of DOOOM
Got Globally Banned
Posts: 549
(6/5/07 11:49 am)
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower
“The game plan?” Crystal questioned and stared blank eyed at the wooden table, for the first time in her life, she didn’t know the answer. What could they do when the people didn‘t trust their guidance and the Elder Council of Genil was becoming no more than a fairy tale, or a figment of imagination in their minds? “I intend to do the only thing I can. This palace was a save haven for those arriving in this world who didn’t know where to go or what to do. Though it is splintered, I intend to make it that once again. I wish to wipe away all of the marks of war from this castle and in turn, from myself. This is the only way we will eventually build their trust in us back, not as a government, but as a part of the creation of their society. I assume that we still have control of the military? With that, we remain in power. The people are too disorganized to revolt. Hell, chaos runs rampant in the streets most days. Whether they want us or not, Kentaro, they need us as much as we need them.”
Crystal’s voice was soft, stately, queenlike even as she rose from the chair and began to pace across the floor, a far away look in her eyes. “Do you think the others will return? We must make a plea in all of the cities for them to come back, no questions asked. I cannot judge them because I, myself, ran away as well. The Council of two does not have the same power as the Council of twelve.” The Elder sighed and sank back into her chair, reclining just a bit in it, as she thought of the others. Morrigan had lost faith in the people of Genil entirely. Lumen.. Where was he? Kro was lost to them as well. Nuki was missing in action, sending ribbons of fear through Crystal. Could someone so small had stayed safe in times like these? Would they all return to the Elder Council? To Genil? Her eyes were troubled with her thoughts as she looked back to Kentaro and smiled slightly. “The fact that you offer your help warms my heart, I know I cannot do this alone.” A breeze blew in through the open window pane into the tower top room and Crystal closed her eyes, determined not to think of the past. The past would become nothing but words in history books but the future was too shaky to be written yet.
“Kentaro?” Crystal murmured, eyes closed, hands relaxing on the arms of the leather chair, “Tell me of your Goddess…”
"The white city fell without her. Peace revolved around her, but when the mother left her children, they destroyed one another... She'll never forget that she left--she'll wear the chains of the martyr as she pulls the world's weight behind her, still thinking she's not doing enough." Morrigan Aensland
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower"Yeah, I think people will come back. Don't hold your breath for everyone though." Finally, a topic where he wouldn't find himself smirking. "Everyone left. But I can't promise everyone will return. But there will be some. Not all hope is lost."
He sighed, turning in his chair to watch her. Red eyes moved along the room, only to settle on her once again. He stood up, walking to the window. A light sigh escaped his lips as he looked around the room. So much peace and power used to reside here. Now, it was just the shell of a memory.
"Fuilteach? Why do you want to know about her?" He looked to her, a confused look on his face. Still, he was a man of the cloth, it was his duty to answer the questions of the people. "She is the goddess of blood and gore. A beautiful and deadly creature. She came to me, before the war, and offered me power. I had to save the city, so I accepted. And since then, I have preached her word."
He paused, looking back out of the window. "She knows no mercy, but there are no greater reward for those in her favor. All she asks is a simple sacrifice in her honor. As such, my temple holds some of the worst prisoners in this world. The world becomes a little better and my goddess stays happy." His fingertip traced along the symbol around his neck.
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower
As the man passed her, Morrigan's eyes narrowed. He had sold his soul to something much worse than she, and Morrigan felt its presence when he passed her each day. He had been the second to return--the one right after Crystal... The only clean construction near the city was the temple to the goddess of war, and he may as well have dipped his head in a fountain of vampire blood and inhaled. Gods were tricky and destructive, and rarely placed their fun in mortals without waiting to see their end. He was beyond what Morrigan would touch--a madness that she could not, and would not, comprehend. His words stung, but they did not elicit a bite from a fangless hound. She knew these people prized him more than her--religion thrived in chaos. Fear drives people to look for another source to fall back on, and he had offered it up. The youngest of the elders did not see him as a traitor, but a loss. His was a soul sold to the doom of their people, and Morrigan resented his church. Though it sat outside the city, it drew the smell of blood inside. Genil would become Nureese and Anarab--there would be no white city if he continued.
She followed him with dull green eyes as he walked into the white palace as if the world were before him. Crystal had been here longer than he, but he had avoided her--probably because his place as priest took up so much time--and Crystal would not take kindly to learning of it, but she needed to... in order to create this world anew, she must understand the blood it was awash in. The scars that would never heal for any of them--some more visible than others. Yours is the courage we desire... but none of us have it, Crystal. Morrigan broke from the center of the streets, though she looked back once more to try to find the face in the window again. She wanted... so badly... to hide in that hair. Safety was in Crystal Dinaia, though fear hid there as well.
But Morrigan would never see that. She'd never coil up in the dark corners and cry. Morrigan didn't cry--not but three times, and Crystal had been witness to one. The wind caught the tresses of her green hair, lifting it up and braiding the white strands together with the green over the stump that was visible on the left side of her head. Her loose white shirt billowed out around her, barely clinging to her body as the elements sought to strip her of warmth and dignity alike, but were unsuccessful. Morrigan's eyes were on the road again--to search the other cities for the hope that would fuel Crystal, and she knew where one of them hid...
Edited by: Sethron at: 6/13/07 7:14 pm
GOD
dainty goddess
No, no! GOD
mmm, so cute =]
they're soft, and pale
ignore that comment
*is dirty minded*
Everyone knows that!
Isn't cute.
EVIL SPAMMER of DOOOM
Got Globally Banned
Posts: 565
(6/6/07 3:54 pm)
Re: Destruction of an Ivory Tower
The wind blew on through out the day as the two Elders spoke and caught up as much as they could. Crystal's eyes lingered on the window for a long time, hoping to see a hint of green, a sarcasted smile. Morrigan was lost to her for now, she figured through her own betrayal. She missed the spatters of fighting and the insults, anything was better than the silence. Despite that, Crystal, for the first time in ages, felt human. Maybe not like a decent human, but she felt human again. Conversation, even if it was about nothing of importance had the ability to push the pain out of her mind and make her accept reality for what it was. Genil was no longer the perfect city that she had dreamed of all of her life. It would face its troubles and its tribulations as it rose back up out of its own skeleton and grew the flesh and blood back that it had lost. The heart of Genil was back in place, however. The Council was returning, slowly, painfully, but returning nonetheless. It would be a new age in this city, not unlike what it been before, but in the same way changed forever. No one would be able to let their children play by the banks of the river without being reminded of their friends’ blood soaking into the sand. No one would go to a festival for all of the cities ever again and the creatures from Anarab and Nureese would never be welcome in the walls of Genil. They would always come, though, even if they weren’t invited and that would be fine. They would all adapt to this new life in a place of second chances, maybe things would be more wonderful than they had been before.
Time would heal this place fully, that, no one could deny. But how much time it would take could not be answered, perhaps another millennium would pass before Genil was the balanced center it had always been. Things would have to change, people would have to change. One person, however, would never change no matter how much life had thrown at her. Crystal Dinaia would always put her city before herself and sacrifice her very soul to see that it lived far beyond her years here. She would battle her demons in her own time, but never let it interfere with what she was here for. The Elder had nothing left to live for but Genil itself and the throb from the heart that kept it alive kept her alive as well. Without her city, without its people, she would wander the world, lost in a labyrinth made by the horrors in her own head. She had been made for the White City and the City for her and they were intertwined. Peace, justice, love, and life would only take hold if she herself held it together, or so she believed. So she would hold it together from now until the end of time with her own hands.
Her ivory tower was destroyed and reality had begun.
"The white city fell without her. Peace revolved around her, but when the mother left her children, they destroyed one another... She'll never forget that she left--she'll wear the chains of the martyr as she pulls the world's weight behind her, still thinking she's not doing enough." Morrigan Aensland
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