These Sacred Ties

[PhantomDream]

Warning:This thread will include some graphic content. Viewer Discretion is advised.

((Joint Thread for Kore Phrixxus (PhantomDream) and Sebastian Crosse (Phantom_27)))

Sixteen Days Before Arrival

"A letter has come for you today, Mistress." A servant spoke, getting to her knees in front of a large desk. The woman who sat behind it looked up from her reading, and tilted her head in question. She wasn't expecting any correspondence from the Temple quite just yet, and having only a very few acquaintances, it was quite confusing on to whom the letter was from. With a slight sound of her confusion, she stood and looked over the desk at her servant.


"Stand." She said in a poised and direct voice. The servant quickly obeyed, lowering her eyes from her Mistress.
"Did the sender provide a name this time?" She asked. The servant opened the parchment and gazed over the writing. She nodded her head after minutes of staring at the page. "Y-Y-Yes, Mistress." She stuttered finally.


"Why are you stuttering girl? Let me see it!" Without any hesitation, she reached over and grabbed the parchment out of the servant’s hands. She read the letter once, then twice, and then a third time. It was a simple letter, the only indication that it truly came from the sender was the signature. It was signed in a dark royal purple, the symbol of Cyric lingering above the S. She'd know that signature anywhere. It was just enough to make her heart race in anger and something else that she wasn't quite use to feeling...Fear. She dropped the letter to her desk, looking at her servant once more. With a quiet voice this time, she began to question the girl quickly.


"When was this delivered?"
"Not even an hour ago, Mistress."
"Who was the carrier?"
"I don’t know, Mistress."
"It was not one of the regular carriers?"
"No Mistress. It was delivered, by a familiar.”
“Averial..” Kore whispered, frowning as the name left her lips.

Without thinking, she slammed her hand down on her desk, breaking her wine glass. The pain was welcomed, needed, and even enjoyed. As the glass shards filled her hand, she crushed them deeper into her flesh. The pain was needed in order for her to think, it was needed for her to understand she’d done wrong; and how she’d messed up somewhere along the lines for him to find her. Sebastian. A name she’d not heard in three years, but one she thought of more than she could count. A figure of her past, one she wished she could erase all memories of, seemed to have the worst of timing in resurfacing. She was just about to close a deal that would put her reputation back where it belonged, at the top. She’d choose faith over him, a choice that was one of the hardest she’d ever made. They were inseparable for almost two years, an alliance that most wouldn’t consider breakable; but it broke.



“Mistress.” A voice called, bringing Kore back to the present.
“Hmm.” She muttered, sitting down slowly into her chair.
“Your hand.” She said, offering Kore a blue bag with a drawstring. Kore extended her free hand, losing the string and then sighed in relief as she looked at the content inside. She pulled out one of the rocks, pressing it to her bleeding hand. The salt melted into the wound, making the pain more noticeable and more heavenly. The wound began to heal slowly as the rock melted into the wound, the healing foundation of the potion she’d made the batch with knitted her flesh together almost instantly as it melted. Once the wound was no longer anything but a few small scars, she handed back the bag to her servant and looked down to the papers on her desk.



“Inform the Temple I’m coming home. Pack a bag. We leave at dawn.”
The servant nodded her head and turned to leave.
“You’re forgetting something.” Kore spoke up as the girl went to head out of the doorway.
“Mistress?” The girl asked, turning around.
“It is time for daily prayer. It is the eighth day, I believe four lashes will surfice.” Kore stood, ushering the girl to the pillow that laid on the floor. The girl knelt on the pillow, lifting up her dress over her head. Screams followed then, both from Kore and her servant, but they were also followed by cries of joy; for they both knew that one day, The Maiden would answer their cries.

[Phantom27]

~Kore

I suppose now that I have given due time to you, that is afterall what you had requested of me was it not? Anyways, I have honored your request, to an extent, then again what more could you come to expect from one such as myself? Back to the point however. You have been given your "long leave of absence" and I have not "come looking for you", more or less. To be simple and to the point, I know what it is you are planning darling and I can assure you I won't miss a thing this time. Do reserve me a ticket, I'm sure it will be quite a show.

There is also the matter of your... "choice", such an ill timed and hastily made choice that it was. All the same I felt it only proper to allow you this bit of information before next we meet again... you are no longer the only one to walk with the grace of your supposed goddess, for a time I will give the arcanic nature that has guided me so long time to recover and I will make use of this new found power...

~Sebastian~

-----

"Averial darling"

A faint shuffling came from the darkest corner of the room followed by what almost sounded as an annoyed sigh. Slowly the sleek black panther made her way across the room to answer her master's call.

"You know, I'm begining to think that you would rather sit about in this room than be given time to run about freely." A faint tsk. "She will be most pleased to see you I'm sure, you do know whom it is you are going to see do you not?" His tone was tinged with cynical humor.

The panther simply glanced at her master for a moment before looking to the letter that rested upon the desk before her. Her eyes gleamed for but a moment as she looked upon the name that graced this letter.

"That's right. I'll allow you to take this one to her, I figure it's about time that you two got aquinted once more."

[Phantom27]

Drip, drip, drip...

Blood, cold, darkness.

The room was silent, aside from that annoying faint dripping sound coming from various locations throughout the darkened room. A small splash sounded almost going unnoticed had it not been for such a deathly silence instilled upon this room.

"There, there, it's not so bad."

Faint murmuring came from one corner of the room followed by a brief flicker of light and what at first seemed to be a gloved hand. Yes, that it was, the light slowly began to illuminate the nearby area revealing the terror that had remained concealed by the darkness.

"Well, you aren't looking so well are you? Somewhat on the... shall we say, deathly side?" Cold chuckling echoed throughout the room. "Perhaps you should have considered the consequences of your actions before hand? Ahh, the same, this would have been your fate sooner or later. You were after all such an annoying little prat."

The light began to flicker momentarily, holding just long enough for a series of small candles to be lit. The scene that was unveiled there after...

Small pools of blood had gathered throughout the room in various locations, various misplaced human and not so human limbs lay here and there. The room resembled somewhat of a butchering house, a room of torture.

"What a mess you have made, you naughty little man." That same cold chuckle echoed throughout the room. "Too much fun you've had on this night, too much indeed."

Quickly he spun about on his heels, leaning down and staring up at the body that had been chained upside down and left to bleed out.

"No, no, naughty? No! We've done him a favor! We've taught him the wrong of his ways!"

A gloved hand carefully caressed the dead man's cheek.
"Yes, he should appreciate what we've done for him. He should feel... blessed."

A small cough sounded from the only door admitting entrance into the room. "Sebastian? You ask that I remind you when it's time for your daily prayers."

-----

Kneeling reverently before the dark altar he lowered his hood back.

"Leave us..."

Faint murmuring sounded from the back of the room, followed shortly after by a small thud indicating that the only other present had left the room. He breathed out a soft sigh of relief at this, this was time he cherished more than any other, a time when he could speak to his god without interruptions and hope only that his god would hear his words.

"Dark Prince..." Spreading his arms out wide he stared up at the ceiling momentarily before lowering his gaze to meet the hollow stare of the jaw less skull that rest upon the dark altar. A faint almost loving smile graced his lips for a moment. "I come to you with a request your grace. I have sought out yet another infidel, I have made them see the wrong of their ways... made them pay ten fold. I humbly request only one thing of you, your grace... allow me to continue to strike fear into the hearts of those infidels, allow me to strike down those who fail to see the wrong of their ways, allow me to serve as your blade in the night."

For hours he remained knelt there before the altar in silence. At last he simply nodded in brief understanding, pressing his hands against the cold stone floor and pushing himself up slowly. Quietly he made his way to the door, glancing back once lovingly toward the altar.

-----

"I'll be departing shortly... see to it that this mess is cleaned up."

Dark robes lined with silver runes along the sleeves and hood of his robe shimmered beneath the moon light as he stood upon the water's edge. This would be entertaining at the very least he thought, perhaps even more so than the last trip.

[PhantomDream]

Fourteen Days Before Arrival

It had been two days since she’d received the letter from Sebastian. It had been one since Averial made her presence known, again. The stubborn beast had stayed behind, thinking she would have private time with Kore. Sebastian’s old familiar was also an old friend, one she missed more than anything. It was a weakness to feel such emotion, but the cat had saved her life under many occasions. She sometimes wondered if Averial liked her more than Sebastian, himself. When the fallout between her and Sebastian began, Averial was not allowed to leave his side; which was to be expected. Yet, Kore’s heart had warmed to the big black cat, allowing her to feel a loss she had not felt in a very long time. Now, asleep at the end of her bed, the cat was. So stubborn, she would not leave no matter how much threatening and lucrative comments came from the Pain. It warmed her heart again to see the cat, but of course there had to be some underlying motive.

It was Sebastian. She could never be too safe.

The sounds of the familiar snores, the warmth of the cat radiating against her feet, and the feel of someone else in her bed had been things she’d long forgotten. It was yesterday, though, that Kore learned Averial was sent by mission of Sebastian. To strike fear into Kore was something not many people could do, but Averial had a grasp on her heart. It made sense that it had to be the cat he would send; otherwise he would have showed up on her doorstep.

When Kore finally decided that Averial could come into her personal chambers last night, the cat struck quickly; slashing into the Pain’s face with fierceness and determination. Kore had protected herself against such attacks, shielding her body before allowing the cat to come in, but she still took damage. Four soft lines ran down the right side of her face, blood dripping slowly. As soon as Averial finished, the clasp around her neck collar broke free, a small bag tied around the front of it fell to the ground.

“What’s this?”

The cat pawed the bag towards Kore, and she bent down to take it. Inside was salt rock, encrusted with her healing potion. Only one other person, besides the priest that had taught her, knew how to make this. She bent her fingers into it, feeling each rock, before pressing them to her face. As quickly as the mark was left, it healed. No scar was apparent this time. It had been made from a strong healing regimen. She frowned. Sebastian knew limited spells when it came to healing. How could he have known how to do this. . . ?


She held the bag out towards Averial after she was done, a piece of paper falling out of it. It was so tiny; it only consisted of one word. “Free.” Furrowing her brows, she glanced down to Averials collar. It had fallen off. She bent down to pick up the collar, turning it over in her hand. It had not been changed. One side, held the sign of Cyric. The other, held the sign of Loviatar. On the front, the markings of the joint connection that both her and Sebastian had for Averial were still there. He'd freed her. Averial was free. It was the last known thing that Kore could think of that ever linked them. Kore dropped the bag to the floor and wrapped her fingers behind the cat's ears, and looked into the cat’s eyes.

“He would never let you go..”

Averial bent down on her front two legs, tilting her head up towards Kore.

“Unless….Did it happen, Averial?”

Averial growled in reply, nuzzling the place she marked on the Pain’s face, which was now as pale as a ghost. “He’s coming, isn’t he?” Averial growled low again.


“We have to run.”

[Phantom27]

A faint smell of lavender lingered on the air as the wind blew softly. The skies had slowly began to open in the last few moments releasing a light shower that now seemed to be increasing as time passed.

Sigh. “Does it always have to rain when I choose to go out? Ridiculous I tell you.”

“Sebastian?” The weak voice came from a few paces behind him. “I don’t mean to intrude but, this body is getting heavy… and it kind of smells.”

“Hmm? Oh! I’d almost forgot you were back there. So nice of you to speak up!” A thin smile graced his lips for but a moment. “Now, let’s see. Right, the body.” Turning on his heels he began to pace slowly back and forth amongst the trees, occasionally his glance strayed down over the hill to the small establishment that sat nestled into the side of the hill.

“Hmm… what a lovely idea! She’ll love it I’m sure.” Throwing his hood back he looked over to the young man accompanying him as he came to a stop. “Remove his head, and place it on a pike! Then, take his lower half and leave it at the back door… the top, let’s leave that at the front, with his little medallion of course.”

“But… that means..” A small choking sound came from him.

Sebastian simply smirked at this. “That you’ll have to go down there? Yes, I might have left that little detail out. You’ll be quite alright I’m sure, so long as you are quick about it no one will even know you’ve been about.”

“This had best be worth it.” The young man glared at Sebastian who simply smiled politely. “Of course, I’m certain you will find your reward… shall we say, most enlightening.”



Humming softly to himself Sebastian leaned lightly against a tree back within the shadows of the hill. His eyes following the young man that he had brought along to perform a simple task, and for an amazingly small price as Sebastian had seen it. Not that he assumed the young man would see this as such a small reward, after all there were various ways to go about receiving such a reward.

“Well. Time for a little game of cat and mouse I suppose.”

Patiently he waited as the young man made his rounds. The head of the body they had brought along had been placed atop a pike, what remained of the lower half of the body had been dropped along the steps leading into the back of the establishment. Now only one part left.

“Now let us see how much she underestimates me.” Clearing his throat he cupped his hands close to his mouth. “Koooooorrrrreeeee!! Come out, come out wherever you are!” Mad cackling followed immediately after, his gaze straying once more to the young man who now stood at the front door frantically trying to dispose of the body before anyone came out possibly having heard Sebastian atop the hill.

“Well young man, soon you will have your reward… soon you will be as close as you could possibly dream of to our Dark Prince. And for you, darling Kore, I hope you enjoy your little treat.”