For Love and Evil

[wangxiuming]

Seducer ... Deceiver ... Whore

Terrible thoughts swam through Eliaster's mind as he shoved an age-old pile of scrolls and tomes across his desk. He cursed himself mentally for being so distracted on such a day; finally, after years of searching, laboring, sacrificing ... he had finally attained that which he most desired. This was no time to sink into -

Succubus ... Abomination ... Betrayer!

That last stream of consciousness was accompanied by an involuntary clenching of his fist - Eliaster had accidentally crushed a crystal ball in his hands. Blood flowed freely from the cuts, and Eliaster cursed again, verbally this time, as he tore a strip of an already-battered robe off to use as a bandage.

Harlot ... Monster ... LIAR!

A chill wind battered against the cheap window frame, and the ensuing rapping sound caused Eliaster to look up from his desk. The room he stood in was an old one, moldy stone and rotting wood mostly, circular in shape and lit only by a few candles and the pale moon. The desk he currently stood before was one of many that hugged the walls - each was buried beneath mountains of scrolls, runes, crystals, and spellbooks. At the center of the room, a crudely painted pentagram encircled by detailed runes etched its place into the stone floor.

Eliaster could not help but smile at his handiwork, his face crazed and distorted. Soon ... Phadriel ... soon, your fate will be sealed.

His fingers found what he had been searching for - one last ancient rune, one last stone to set in place ... and then, the summoning ritual would be complete. He pressed the stone to his lips, kissing it lightly, as if it were a precious gem given to him by a loved one. With an unnatural grace and dexterity, he placed the rune gingerly in the center of the pentagram and backed away slowly.

Raising his arms high above his head, he began incanting in demonic tongue:

Vanu'esh ka'tan dharim! Vadra'esh!
Seiza jai ... n'hast ... n'gai ...

As his ritual began to take root, the ground began to shake. Cracks in the stone walls expanded and deepened, crackling and even tearing the rock apart in some places. Tomes and scrolls crashed down from the desks, chairs overturned, candles tipped from their place and set a desk and all its inhabitants ablaze. Through all the chaos, Eliaster's gaze was focused only one thing - the ancient rune in the center of the pentagram - and his mind was centered on only ...

Traitor ... Liar ... Lover ...

No ... no, he had to focus! His mind had to be empty, or ... but he was chanting involuntarily now, the magicks pouring from his soul, arcing through his body like wildfire. His body lifted into the air, his hands outstretched, his eyes rolled back ... and his wild smile frozen in position - set in place like stone.

Vanu'esh ka'tan dharim! Vadra'esh!
Seiza jai ... n'hast ... n'gai!

Fire fell from the ceiling, exploding the pentagram's runes, sending Eliaster flying backwards, slamming him into a desk with a terrible force. He did not scream - the pain was nothing, nothing to what he had already felt, what he had been forced to endure ... and nothing to what he was about to experience. From behind the mass of black smoke and ash in the center of the room, a lithe humanoid figure stepped out. At first, Eliaster could barely distinguish the form, its skin the same ashy black as the floating wreckage. Then, four tentacles ending in lamprey-maws made their way forward, snapping at the air violently. The figure smiled slyly, flashing brilliant white teeth. From within Eliaster's mind, a booming voice resounded.

Mortal ... you DARE to summon ME?!

Eliaster's head throbbed excruciatingly, but he bore through the pain. The fire that had started earlier had spread to encircle the entire room - smoke filled Eliaster's lungs, and he struggled to find breath.

"I ... I compel you! You must obey me!"

The derisive laughter that ensued in his mind left Eliaster in a state of near shock.

FOOL! You think your pathetic ramblings are enough to command one such as I?!

Eliaster's face creased with desperation. "No ... no, you must obey me! The ritual ... how could you ..." A violent fit of coughing prevented him from saying anything more.

Haha ... HahaHAHA! You ... I can not deny there is much anger in you ... much hatred. I answered your call not because I was compelled - but because you interest me, mortal. You could yet prove to be a ... beautiful toy.

Hope flared up within Eliaster again. He stammered and choked out the words, "Y-you ... you will help me then! You must, I beg of you!"

That depends, dear toy ... tell me, what is it you want from this demon?

"...power. Power enough to annihilate Phaedriel, the whore-servant of the nine hells!"

At the mention of the hells, the demon's tentacles lashed out violently, their jaws crushing everything in their reach. Wood and stone - all were obliterated in their path.

... you are indeed interesting, my little mortal pet. I will grant you your request ... on one condition. That you completely and utterly destroy this Phaedriel of yours.

Eliaster's next word was filled with a grim determination and resolve - a serenity that he hadn't felt in years.

"Done."

[wangxiuming]

Weeks had passed, but Eliaster felt as if a barely any time had gone by at all. Power did that, he discovered - made time seem irrelevant, made everything else in the world seem insignificant. He looked down at his right hand, clenched into a fist. Violet energy seemed to engulf it, swirling and malevolent. He released his fist and watched as the magic exploded into the air, showering sparks onto wet grass.

He was in a field of lustrous green speckled with flowers of brilliant yellows and fiery reds. In the distance was a small cottage, crudely constructed with wood logs and a straw-thatched roof. Turning around, he marveled at the splendorous city he had just passed through. A shame he hadn't caught the name - he had no desire to waste time asking anybody - but the city itself was full of marvelous architecture and history; something he would have undoubtedly enjoy exploring in the old days.

... no more. He had no more use for frivolity. His scrying had led him here, to this field, to this cottage. It was hard to believe that this was where his betrayer's last moments would be - he had always thought Phaedriel enjoyed extravagance and opulence, a slave to her desires of wealth and fame. Whore ... have you any idea of the suffering I am about to inflict upon you?

A cruel grin stretched across his face, manic and terrible to behold. His fingers formed the shape of a claw in his right hand, and he dragged it across his face, instantly vanishing from sight. In the distance, jagged mountains rose up into view, seemingly closing up over the tiny cottage on the top of the hill, pinning it to the horizon.

He approached the door slowly - the wood was old and musty smelling, and the hinges seemed barely set in place. He tapped it lightly, as if he was afraid of using too much force; there would be plenty of time for that later. He smiled to himself again, eagerly awaiting that momentous occasion for which he had dreamed for years. As he heard footsteps from within the wooden walls, his breath quickened and his heart beat maddeningly; he desperately tried not to laugh out loud for joy - the culmination of years of planning, his final vengeance ... his deadly retribution ... was finally at hand.

The door opened slowly, and a beautiful elven woman stepped into view. Her skin was fair, her long silver locks reaching almost to the ground, seemingly falling naturally into position. Her eyes were a spectacular jade, almost like two jewels set perfectly in place. She was dressed simply, a brown robe tied at the waist with an old rope, but somehow it only seemed to enhance her magnificence.

Eliaster stood motionless as he gazed upon her face, the cruelty on his own melting away only to be replaced by concern, caring and an obviously tender love. No ... no, I've worked too hard for this ... I can't give up now!

Phaedriel looked Eliaster right in the eyes. " ... you ... Eliaster."

Hearing her say his name with such cradling tenderness, such terrible deception, inflamed him once again. Lies ... such lies!

Without a word, he raised his arm up high, crimson and violet rays of light gathering at his palm, and then brought them down with a terrible crash, sending a piercing blast of eldritch magic at the love of his life.

[wangxiuming]

The magic poured from Eliaster's hands, rushing forth like a gushing stream, engulfing and slamming Phaedriel's delicate figure into the wall behind her. All the hatred, all the terrifying rage and anger was focused into the blast, and Eliaster felt as if he was slipping off a precipice - even had he wanted to relent, he no longer could; almost as if the power had a mind of its own. Tears began to pour down his face and he wondered at them ... wasn't this after all, everything he had lived for? Wasn't this the only thing he had been living for?

Under the brutal force of Eliaster's attack, Phaedriel was pinned against the wall, the baleful magicks enveloping her in an eerie violet aura, lashing and dancing across her like an angry wave against the beach. Her eyes were frozen in position, staring deep into Eliaster's soul, filled with only shock. As the magic continued to flow freely, understanding replaced surprise, and Phaedriel closed her eyes. Eliaster watched, as if detached from all that was happening, and he saw his betrayer's form fall limp against the wall, her beauty slowly being warped by the magic. Is ... is this how we were destined to end?

Finally, the terrible energy seemed to wane, and Eliaster fell to his knees, stunned and disoriented. It all happened so quickly - he thought he would have savored the sensation of vengeance more, that he would have enjoyed seeing the light go out of the slut's eyes, but there was nothing. He felt nothing. Everything was nothing.

Phaedriel's body had collapsed to the ground, slumped against a crude pot that once held a beautiful tree but now only a charred stump and ash. Eliaster almost could not bear to look at what once had been his to cherish. She was broken and lifeless. Her robes were torn and nearly completely shredded, and the skin that showed the rags that draped over her was bloody and black - mutilated and defiled. Her beautiful eyes were still open, still staring blankly at the ground, the light in them still ...

... the light in her eyes was still there.

Phaedriel's lips curled up slowly, and it was Eliaster's turn to be stunned as he watched her wounds close up on themselves, black skin begin to pale and return to their natural rosy peach, broken bones reform and set into place, as if nothing had happened at all. This power ... how can it not be enough?! How ... HOW?!

Phaedriel stood up slowly, tilting her head and neck slowly, first to the right and then to the left. The sound of bones cracking broke Eliaster out of his stupor and he leaped to his feet, already beginning to prepare a second wave.

Phaedriel spoke, her voice filled with mocking amusement. " ... a beautiful parlor trick you have there, Eliaster ... but that's all it is."

"I won't let you humiliate me a second time, you BITCH!" He hurled his second wave of demonic magic at his lover but she was ready for him this time, stepping out of the way calmly, her eyes rolling with impatience.

"Such uncouth language, my dear Eliaster ... but then again, I suppose that's all I can expect from someone who can barely control such the weakest of eldritch magicks. Tell me, for I am very interested ... what creature did you make the dark pact with? What devil or demon dares to challenge me?"

As she spoke, Phaedriel extended her own arms, the magic flowing through her so intense that she rose up into the air a little. Her eyes began to glow a bloody and brilliant scarlet, and then fire sprang forth from her fingertips, encircling Eliaster in a burning haze.

Eliaster didn't cough, didn't even blink at the fiery wall that surrounded him. Ash and dust penetrated his eyelids, but he ignored it effortlessly - all that mattered now was to put the demon-bitch in her place. He wouldn't let her hurthim again.

"There's no point in telling anything to someone who's about to die!" He stepped through the wall of fire as if it was a refreshing breeze, then began incanting again. A cloud of impenetrable darkness encased the living room, centered on Phaedriel. She laughed cruelly.

"Strong words ... let's see if you can make good on them!" She clapped her hands once, and then the incorporeal head of a demon appeared from nowhere, biting down into the darkness, scattering and dispelling the darkness. Phaedriel closed her eyes, and smiled, almost as if her incantation had somehow rejuvenated her further - indeed, her skin seemed to glow, and her hair and eyes sparkled energetically.

Eliaster slammed his fists into the floor, breaking through the wooden boards and rooting himself to the ground. The area surrounding his former lover instantly became freezing cold, and cruel-looking tentacles sprouted out violently forth, lashing and grabbing at her, furiously trying to bludgeon the woman to death. Phaedriel dodged them with ease, slipping through the mass of tentacles like an eel. She fired off her own blasts of eldritch energy, which Eliaster only barely managed to dodge - the last one singed his right ear, and he had to bite down on his lip hard to keep from crying out.

With his concentration lost, the tentacles retreated to their unearthly haven, and Phaedriel laughed again, her tone disparaging and sinister. "So futile ... so pathetic."

Eliaster was breathing hard, his efforts beginning to wear down on his body. He looked up through teary and exhausted eyes at his former lover, and his thoughts turned to despair. This ... can't be possible! All of my efforts ... all of my sacrifices! How can this not be enough?!

Despair made way for a desperate frenzy, a terrible rage. He roared in anger, the sound of his scream shattering the few windows in the house; the walls shook terribly, trembling under the strain of Eliaster's fury, and the already ruined floorboards crackled and broke apart, revealing abyssal crevices that filled with molten magma. For the first time, Phaedriel began to look worried.

The rage was uncontainable, unquenchable, uncontrollable - Eliaster's scream lasted longer than naturally possible, his voice never giving way, reverberating throughout the cottage, sending waves of destructive energy in a circle around him with reckless abandon. Power ... this was power! All he could feel was the tremendous magic arcing through his body - he didn't notice as the roof began to fall, crashing down, wooden beams slamming into the ground all around him. He didn't even notice as a wooden beam right above him snapped in half, didn't notice as it twisted unnaturally in the air and then fell straight towards him.

A scream, "No!" that wasn't his own jerked him out of his rage, and then a blast of magic soared straight over his head, smashing into the beam right as it was about to impale Eliaster. His eyes traced the trajectory of the magic, then back to its source, widening as he realized what had almost happened - and what did.

He could barely find words. "Y-you ... why?"

Phaedriel smiled slowly, weakly. Then she looked down at herself, and Eliaster followed her gaze. A wooden beam protruded from her chest, blood pouring freely. The wound was trying to close in on itself, as it had done before earlier, but the wood jutting from her abdomen wouldn't allow it.

Eliaster stood frozen - part of him wanted to rush forward and cradle the woman that he had once loved most dearly in his arms. He couldn't understand why; it had to be another trick ... another cruel lie to break him even more, another heartbreaking deception to crush him ... and yet, something seemed different.

He almost didn't notice a flash of fire that burst forth next to him - almost. The tentacle-mawed demon that he had summoned - it seemed like so long ago - stepped forward from the flames, and in his monstrous voice spoke:

"... what are you waiting for, child of evil? Finish her."

[wangxiuming]

"This is everything you worked for, isn't it? This is what you wanted my power for, isn't it? THIS IS WHAT YOU SWORE TO DO, ISN'T IT?!"

Eliaster cringed at the demon's words but was helpless to decide what to do, frozen in place by uncertainty and indecision. All the hurt, all the pain that Phaedriel had caused him - it was so much to bear, too much for him to swallow. Her lies ... her betrayal ... could it be so easily undone?!

So easily undone ... she had saved his life at a great cost to her own. Why would she do that? Why, if not because she still loved him, that maybe all those tender words shared between them underneath moonlit skies were not deceptions after all, but truth. Terrible, heartbreaking words that played in his mind over and over during all these years, taunting him, mocking him for his foolishness - could it be that they were not lies after all? Could he risk it again, risk his heart and soul again? Please ... please, don't lie to me.

The hatred and anger were gone ... washed away with unrelenting love. He rushed forward to hold his dying love in his arms. Phaedriel groaned quietly - all that she could muster despite what must have been the terrible pain. What do I do ... how can I repair this, I MUST fix this!

The demon smirked once, flashing unnaturally white teeth, thick eyebrows narrowing. "And I had so hoped that you would turn out different - so much potential, so much promise ... all wasted."

Eliaster turned to the demon again, still kneeling, hands cupped together as tears poured down his face. "P-please ... please, save her, I beg of you!"

The demon roared with cruel laughter. " ... PATHETIC! You came here to kill this whore; not only have you failed to do that, now you ask me to save her from the very fate you promised me?"

"I-I'll do anything ... take my power, take my life, take it all! Just save her, please! PLEASE!" The thought of losing Phaedriel now, after all that had happened ... Eliaster couldn't bear it. Not now ... not this way, I can't let her die like this ...

Chuckling, the demon lifted a muscular arm and a shiny curled finger to point at Eliaster. "Your power? The power was always mine ... you were merely the focus. And yes ... you have proven yourself unworthy of it."

"Take it then, take it all! I don't want it any longer!" Out of the corner of his eye, Eliaster saw Phaedriel painstakingly try to lift her arm, her lips open in a small circle, desperately trying to say something, but it was too late.

"As you wish, mortal." As soon as the words were spoken, Eliaster felt a piercing agony spread through his veins, as if the blood within him was all about to explode out of his body. His head throbbed in excruciating pulses of white hot heat. He saw a violet haze seem to emerge from his weakening figure, rising and flowing straight to the tip of the demon's outstretched finger. His body, once flushed with youth and vibrant energy was drained - his cheeks hollowed, his limbs shrank to nothing but skin and bones, his lungs contracting tightly, desperately trying to draw breath.

As the last of the terrible magic left his body, he collapsed forward onto the ruined floorboards, one arm and hand still outstretched towards the demon, still pleading for his lover's life. "Please ... you have your power ... please save her ..."

For a third time, the monster that Eliaster had made the pact with laughed, a sound that rebounded within Eliaster's mind with painful clarity. Eliaster knew then that hope was lost ... salvation was lost. Phaedriel was lost.

Save her, my foolish toy? Why would I save a servant of the baatezu, our most hated rivals? Better she die now ... save me the trouble of dealing with her later.

... I suppose this is farewell then, dear pet. Do let me know if you ever need to borrow a little more power from me ... despite your disappointing performance here today, I still believe that you have great, great promise ...

Thunderous laughter was accompanied by a flash of fire, and then the tentacle-mawed demon was gone, leaving a crippled Eliaster on the ground, crawling slowly on his belly, inching forward to be with the one woman he loved. Phaedriel was fading fast, her eyes barely more than dark slits - she was trying to open them, but the blood was pouring freely out of her; she didn't have much strength left.

"Phaedriel," he smiled weakly. " ... you're always trying to leave me behind, aren't you?" Eliaster, looked around and wrenched free a sharp wooden stake that had lodged itself into the boards. Placing it over his heart, he closed his eyes and braced himself for their star-crossed ending.

"N-no ... Eliaster, don't ... no." Eliaster opened his eyes instantly, still kneeling beside Phaedriel's almost-lifeless body. Her last ounces of life were being poured into these words, she struggled with every word, spitting and coughing blood. "You can't ... the baby, he's yours ... you have to take care of him."

Shock took over Eliaster again, but he snapped himself out of it quickly. This was no time to wait for his lagging comprehension. Phaedriel's arm was rising slowly, pointing towards a corner of the house that was still standing - a powerful shield of eldritch energy had wrapped a crude wooden cradle in a bubble of protection. Piles of broken wood and rubble lay just on top of the magicks, and Eliaster rushed over shove them aside. As the last pieces of perilous debris fell to the floor, Phaedriel's arm finally fell slack along with the magic shield.

A beautiful baby boy lay in the cradle, sleeping. Completely protected by his mother's incantation, he was unaware that anything had happened at all. Eliaster hastily wrapped the child - his child - up in his arms and rushed back to Phaedriel's side. Tears flowed freely from his eyes, a mixture of enveloping sadness and uncertain joy; he was a father!

He held his boy up so his mother could see. She stroked the baby's cheek gently, then looked up to Eliaster, tears streaming down her face as well.

"Forgive me, Eliaster ... I never meant ... I never meant to hurt you ..."

"Shhh ... it doesn't matter. None of it matters. Only my love for you. Only our love."

Phaedriel smiled gently, and for a second all the beauty of what they had shared flashed before Eliaster's mind. He kissed her lightly on the forehead, then held his own wet, tear-soaked face next to hers, their baby wrapped in an embrace of true affection ... true love.

She closed her eyes slowly, peacefully, whispering her last words in Eliaster's long, pointed ears.

"Take care of him, Eliaster. Take care of Alyrian."

-- End Prelude --

[wangxiuming]

Chapter 1 - Evil Forsaken, Innocence Lost

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