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Forum of the Elder Gods (Grave;Cross)


Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

(I'm feeling fairly amped about the upcoming events, so I'm in post-rage mode!)

Running, in full gear, and with sword and sheath, Club followed him quickly, right behind him as he ran. Running, out of the door. Running, through the library. Running, up the stairs. It became clear that if Cynthia were moving slowly, he'd see her at the top, possibly midway to the door, or already in flight to the window to soar out. The simple wooden door blocking his way at the top, Club charged ahead, her small legs pumping at a speed that would break a human's bones, before she smashed her shoulder into the door, crushing her way through, and clearing him a path. Looking around quickly, with Cynder arriving behind her, both would realize Cynthia was not in the room.

"Look!" Club pointed upwards, directing her finger at the window made for Cynthia especially. It was wide open, and swinging in the strange wind blowing through the sky. And from outside of the window, the strange wind was explained, by the dark violet clouds in the sky, making the sky appear as if it were night, coating the terrain, the trees, and the tower itself, in an evil aura of purple glow. The world outside looked like some kind of nightmare in someone's dream.

Worse yet, he could feel the threads of magic touching his body, the cursed, evil magic brought forth only from the corrupt lands of Hell. Just from that brush with the weak threads of evil, it was obvious that something terrifying had arrived in this world. The feeling of the threads, they were familiar. They seemed to have their own words, their own stories to tell. And each one of them, the same story...

The promise of a long awaited, bloody revenge.

In a sick sense, the emotions behind the magic seemed happy. But it's happiness would only be found along a trail of blood.

"Gwave..." Club whimpered with fear, her confident stride halting at the horrifying, demented world around her. "What's wrong with the sky!? Club is scared... And she doesn't even know why!!!" she screamed.

"Gwave..." she began, and even though she was slow to say it, Grave came to the same conclusion as she. Deep within their souls, their instincts for survival, they knew.

"If we get closer to the clouds... We're gonna die, aren't we?" she asked with a trembling voice. "N-now I know why she was scared... There's no way Gwave could stand up to something that can do that to the sky!"
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Grave ran, adrenaline surging through his body. He hoped he wouldn't be too late. He put all of his strenght into dashing forward, practically leaping up the stairs. He didn't even slow down before the door - thankfully, Club made sure of the fact that nothing stood in his way. He was thankful for her aid. For a moment, he even thought that he could fix this. Barging into the room, he looked around, trying to locate Cynthia. Just as he suspected, she wasn't there. But that didn't decide anything. He just had to find her. When Club pointed up at the window, he immediately turned his head towards it, staring. What he saw went beyond his wildest imagination. He could only watch the world outside, changed into something... Horrible. It was merely because of the dark clouds and purple light, he knew. But even knowing that, he was filled with dread.

Even without the dark magic filling the air, Cynder could guess who was responsible for this. The familiar feeling of terror, bloodlust and hatred only confirmed his suspicion. She was out there, coming for him. And she had more power than he thought. He couldn't believe that one person could cause such a change. He hoped it was merely an illusion, but the corrupt aura around him left little hope. Finally, he understood the danger he was in. He understood why Cynthia was so desperate to die in his place earlier. Now, she left on her own, to draw his sister away from him. The half-blood felt his resolve weaken. This was the first time he witnessed something so horrible, he couldn't supress his fear. Club seemed to be taking it worse, though, unable to comprehend the situation at all.

Grave took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. His sister was probably still far away - her aura, though palpable, was still weak. Unfortunately, Cynthia was probably heading straight for the source - which was where he'd have to go in order to stop her. He didn't want to face his sister now, but that didn't mean he was happy about having anyone else do this for him. The sight before him made him even more certain of that. Thinking about that, he realized one thing - altough he wasn't sure what to think of the crow, he did care about her. Otherwise, he wouldn't be here, attempting to reach her before she died. Unfortunately, Club had a point. He couldn't face his sister. She'd crush him instantly, and it wouldn't be an easy end. He felt torn between fear about someone else, and fear of death.

Staring of into the distance, Cynder tried to get himself together. If he stayed here and let Cynthia go, he'd be safe... Maybe. He couldn't be sure whether he'd be spared. He couldn't run either. His options were limited to hiding in the tower, or going out - and the only direction was towards the danger. Both options sounded equally bad to him. But in this hellish landscape, he couldn't bring himself to stay in one place. He feared it, but remaining in the tower, surrounded by evil from all sides, was less bearable. Gritting his teeth, the half-blood made up his mind. "Club... You better stay here. There's got to be another way to deal with this. I don't want to fight... That, but I'll be damned if I let Cynthia die in my place. I don't want anything to happen to you either. I'll try to catch up to her and figure out a way out of this mess."

Grave didn't exactly believe in this "third way". To be honest, he had no idea what he was doing and he knew it. But he realized that he was in a new world that he knew nothing about, and had no choice but to act in blind faith. He just hoped he wouldn't be too late. Turning away from the window, he set out towards the entrance to the tower. Even if Cynthia didn't immediately go to his sister, she'd head there sooner or later. It was his best chance of finding her.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

"Gwave!?" Club exclaimed when Grave made his announcement, and dashed off to prevent Cynthia from falling to an unfortunate fate. The large wooden doors to the tower creaking loudly as a mere push caused one of the doors to swing open, pushed violently by the wind, and slam against the tower wall. "Gwave! Wait! Don't leave Club again!" the goblin desperately cried behind him.

Outside, and in the violet abyss that the land was in, thunder crashed all around the land, lightning strikes the color of blood violently attacked the soil of the forest, and engulfed some of the forestry in quick burning flames. The trees themselves vanished just as quickly as the fire, in the matter of a few seconds. A strike against a human being would be fatal.

The wind that blew violently threatened to sweep Cynder off of his feet. Such as it was, it was actually difficult to maintain balance on his own feet. Outside of the protection of the tower, it felt as if the corrupted air entered Grave's lungs in full force. The sensation of being intoxicated by it was overwhelming, making his head feel light, and his eyes blur. The feeling, a taste, of Hell itself. A cursed land. The place where the innocent suffer.

In the moment Cynder was forced to take to steady himself, he'd feel a pair of small arms wrap around his leg, Club at his side, holding onto him, lest she be swept away by the wind. "Gwave!" she called out faintly, though it seemed as if she were yelling. "Club won't let Gwave go again! Club will come with you, even if she dies!" she screamed as loud as she could, but in the terrible storm, it was hardly more than a whisper.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Grave felt less and less thrilled about this whole trip. He left Club behind, hoping she'd stay in the tower. The outside was very dangerous and he didn't want the girl to get hurt. Locking the door to make sure she stayed inside wasn't really an option, though. The wind was so strong, he had to put a lot of effort into staying up. It wasn't the worst part, though. The corruption was much stronger outside of the tower, and the half-blood needed a few moments to get used to it. Even after regaining balance, he still felt off. Would it affect him if he stayed in this aura for too long? Would it weaken him? He couldn't tell. It had a horrible taste, one that told much about those who dwelled in such air. He couldn't help but feel disgusted. Demons... He was really starting to hate them.

As he gathered strenght, Cynder surveyed his surroundings. He didn't notice them earlier, but red lightning bolts kept striking the ground, instantly incinerating whatever they hit. He had no means to protect himself from those, and he couldn't predict their coming either. Sighing, the half-blood realized that this was something he couldn't help. Steadying himself, he prepared to set out... And felt a pair of arms around his leg. Looking down, he saw Club, yelling at him. In the storm, he could barely hear what she said, but it was enough. It seemed that this was a battle he wouldn't win. He couldn't erect a barrier capable of stopping the girl, and her strenght could be useful. Letting out another sigh, the young man nodded, acknowledging the girl's determination. Then, he scanned the horizon, looking for the source of evil, intending to set out at once.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Over the horizon, a distant town was surrounded by dangerous tornadoes that almost seemed to patrol the area around it, tearing apart the land as they went. And swirling amidst the terrifying power of the tornadoes, was a strange, thick, black mist, appearing thicker than water as it shifted through the atmosphere, turning the blue sunlight into it's strange purple glow, and anything directly touching it, completely black, as if poisoning the air itself.

Setting off in the direction of the scene, his instincts telling him that he should flee from such dangerous power, the closer he got, forced to travel through the forest to reduce wind resistance, the more the air seemed to pull him towards the doom the lie ahead, as if desiring to sweep him away, and suck him into the maw of an unseen, black beast.

At a brisk pace through the forest, his only light, the dark purple glow from the clouds above, the voice from his dreams returned, a nearby tree struck by a bolt of lightning, golden flames burning the tree town in an instant.

"Not yet," her voice announced. "Even if you rush for death, your end will only come when you have experienced the same pain I have."

The light allowing him to see gradually became less of a resource for him. Rather than it simply getting darker, the black mist almost seemed to be absorbing the light right in front of his eyes. Sucking it away, as if it's one purpose was to swallow the whole world into the gullet of a void-like oblivion.

Forced to run quickly once they got closer to the town, both Grave and Club were sent into a panic when they walked into the territory of the tornadoes. They both knew that if they were not fast enough, the powerful force would sweep them away. And given their appearance, purple wind with a jet black center, a fearful thought was being sucked into that black void, thrown through the air, unable to see at all.

Dirt, instead of twigs under their feet, Grave and Club's quick fleeing led them to the edge of town, where the powerful winds seemed nonexistent, the town itself, though devoid of any life or movement, surprisingly tranquil and quiet.

"Gwave..." Club gasped, panting from their sprint. "That feeling is gone..." she noted, pointing out the sudden lack of that terrifying sensation that gripped both their hearts with fear. "Do you think Cynthia..." she began to ask, but didn't want to finish it, afraid of the possibility that they were too late.

"Is it a wonderful feeling, Grave, to have someone next to you?" the voice of envy questioned him. "Can you imagine the feeling of losing everyone close to you? Could you be able to bear the guilt of knowing that they died because they loved you? Or would you not mind at all? Does your love only exist for yourself?"

Unsure of what to do, Club looked up at Grave after seeing the deserted, empty little village town. Tugging on him, she seemed to use him for support...

"Whether you love them or not, they love you," she told him, as if seeing Club through his eyes, looking into the blue sapphires shining even in the bleak darkness. "You're going to watch me kill them, and hear their final, loving words to you, before they die."
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

As he traveled towards the town, Grave couldn't help but feel scared. His instincts screamed at him to run away and hide. Normally, he'd probably listen to the advice. The darkness seemed to warp that place, and the tornadoes around it were without a doubt deadly. However, he couldn't help but feel drawn to that place, as if the air itself pulled him towards it. Marching towards it with a feeling of impending doom, the half-blood was startled by the return of his sister's voice, even more so than by the lightning bolt. Altough he knew that hearing her at all was a bad thing, her message was close to being more terrifying than her presence. She wasn't going to simply kill him. No, she wanted to break him first. And she'd devote herself to her task with glee. She wouldn't let him simply die either.

Cynder's fear turned into panic as he rushed to the town, praying that he wouldn't get caught in one of the tornadoes... Altough by that point, he doubted those things were merely spinning air. It looked more like a vortex of pure darkness, a pillar connecting this world with Hell itself. He really didn't want to get close to that. Fortunately, both the man and Club managed to reach the town, which was oddly calm. The half-blood took this opportunity to catch his breath and think of his next move. He desperately tried not to think what that meant. Too late to save Cynthia? He would not accept such an outcome. he was afraid of it, just like Club. The return of his sister's voice was nearly a relief - there was still time. The feeling quickly turned into pure terror when he got the message.

Oh no. No no nonoNONONONONONO.

Grave felt as if his blood turned into ice. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about Cynthia - feelings of resentment and attachment mixed with each other, leaving him confused, but he didn't want her to die like this. Club, however, in this short time they've known each other somehow managed to become someone significant to him. The half-blood realized he should have forced her to stay in the tower. They were standing in the eye of the storm, and his sister was most likely here. And he wouldn't be her first target. "Club." He looked down at her, putting a hand on her head. He tried to appear calm. "You have to get out of here and hide. If you stay with me, you'll die. Please. The one who caused this... She'll go after you first. You have to run back to the tower. That might be the only safe place."
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

"No! Club won't leave!" she shouted angrily, tears welling up in her eyes as Grave yet again asked her to leave him, "Club would rather die than leave Gwave behind and not know if he's okay! You can't tell Club just to leave! Club will stay with you forever!" she announced passionately and with as much love as the small creature could give, holding onto him tightly.

"I'm waiting, Grave." announced the voice of his sister. "I'm keeping the bird alive, just for you. She's told me all I wanted to hear. Perhaps she will feel proud to die for you. At the very least, I want you to see it, and maybe be proud of her too... So proud, to die for trash like you..."

A golden glimmer, almost like priceless jewelry glittering in sunlight, came from within the middle of town. "This way, Grave..." she guided him. "Perhaps I'm wasting my time, wanting you to suffer... You are probably smiling, laughing at those foolish enough to love you. And especially laughing at me, who suffered in your place... It's all so hilarious to you, isn't it? Well, I'll silence your right to laugh, even if it means making your voice grow hoarse from torturing those who find you precious."

Club suddenly let go of Cynder, taking some steps ahead of him, "You stay behind at the tower, Gwave! Club will do everything! Whatever happens, Club wants Gwave to be okay!" she shouted with love and determination, as Envy's voice echoed through Grave's head. Their loving words, before their deaths. And in a moment's notice, Club was running to the shining light in the town.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

"Oh Hell no!" Grave swore under his breath as he broke into a sprint. Club had no idea what she was getting into - he didn't explain much to her. But then again... Would she flee if he did? Probably not. She already knew that she was up against something extremely powerful, and it didn't stop her. Which meant he'd have to stop her himself. He tried not to think about his sister's taunts. Was Cynthia captured? Tortured? He really didn't want to imagine that. "Club, STOP! I get that you don't want me to get hurt! But I don't want to see you DIE, you moron! Stay away from there!" Trying to convince Club to retreat was probably pointless. But maybe if she stopped, even for a moment... Maybe if he managed to catch up, he could hit her head and knock her out. If that's what it took to save her from her own decision, he was more than willing to go with it.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

In a match of athletics, any question of who was better became clear as Club made fair distance on Grave as he tried to chase her down. Her legs moved almost faster than his eyes could see as she charged for the light. With Club ahead, Cynder arrived alone at the source of the light. So bright that he could not gaze at it directly, a wave of heat washed over him in a powerful rush as the light suddenly dispersed. And without warning, the simple town was suddenly covered in golden flames, as if the light itself was a timebomb, waiting to explode.

Grave himself remained unaffected. However, the town itself seemed completely different than it was before he arrived. Many buildings looked nearly destroyed from the fires, and not because of the golden flame's fast acting nature. Rather, it seemed that the whole town, as intact as it was, was an illusion in itself. And before he could take the sudden change of scenery in, a sudden burst of hot air from a nearby burning building sent Cynder to the ground, his flesh hot and nearly burned from the unannounced explosion.

From the building itself, the door leading inside nothing but flames, a single figure walked unflinching from the sea of golden fire. An unfamiliar face of a young girl, who slowly walked towards him, staring down at him. Without a single word, she stared at him. Her eyes locked on his body laying on the ground, her expression emotionless.

"... Are you alright?" the girl asked him. "Your little sister was worried about you... All alone, in hell. I suffered a lot, but at least my brother was okay..." she said with an endearing tone, before she kneeled down, and slowly reached her arm out, before gripping Grave's neck harshly. "... At least you were okay..." she whispered hatefully, squeezing his neck, her arm trembling as she strangled him.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Grave was already out of breath by the time he reached the light. He was not in a bad shape, but trying to chase a being physically superior to him had proven to be quite an ordeal. He didn't manage to catch Club, and to his horror realized that she wasn't anywhere in sight when he finally arrived at his destination. The half-blood didn't have time to look, though. The light nearly blinded him, forcing him to close his eyes. Then, in just a heartbeat, the entire village changed. When he finally dared to glance, he could hardly believe what was happening. It seemed as if everything became different at someone's whim... And he could guess who that person was. The young man looked around, desperately trying to locate Club, but before he managed to open his mind to call out her name, he was painfully interrupted.

The sudden explosion wasn't particularly dangerous - neither the burst of air nor the fall hurt much, though the latter reminded Cynder of a particularly painful meeting he had with a stone wall yesterday. As he winced, hissing in pain both from the nearly forgotten injury and intense heat, he noticed a person stepping out of a building, ignoring the golden blaze around her. He didn't recognize her face, but he knew her identity. There was only one person besides him, Cynthia and Club who could be here. The half-blood returned the girl's stare as she approached him. In any other situation, he'd probably find her cute. Now, however, there was something incredibly creepy about her emotionless appearance, which seemed to clash with the malice expressed towards him earlier.

Grave tried to ignore the feeling of terror as he continued his staring contest with the girl. Her first question, however, caught him entirely by suprise. At first, it sounded as if she was worried. Her tone of voice, slow, careful movements only reinforced the illusion. But as soon as she grabbed his by the neck, the half-blood realized what exactly was going on. His eyes widened as he finally began to move, his arm quickly launching forward to get the hand off his neck, before he suffocated. The young man desperately tried to get up, trying to think of a solution to this situation. He really wasn't sure whether fighting was a good option, and he was reluctant to try. Gasping for air, he decided to attempt a more peaceful approach. "W-Wait! I... I didn't want this to happen! I didn't... I don't want anyone to suffer because of me! I... I'm sorry..."
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Lifting himself, and tearing the girl's hand away from his neck before he was strangled to death, Grave stood a fair foot over the smaller girl. And then, making his apology, the girl of golden flames looked up at him, the same emotionless expression on her face. "Do you feel powerless? Do you feel the desperate sensation of weakness? The inability to do anything as a force beyond your control crushes your entire world around you?" she asked him. And from behind Cynder, another building became engulfed in golden flames, it's image reflected in her eyes.

"I know that feeling more than you ever will."

Turning her back to him, she faced the enflamed house which she came from. A support beam suddenly collapsed, bringing about a cry from within. "Gwave!" shouted Club's desperate voice from within the burning house, her voice choked as she struggled between making words and coughing from the smoke. "It's a trap Gwave! Get out!" she gagged out her plea, before gagging further on the smoke.

"This is your chance," Envy stated, lifting her hand towards the burning building, with Club trapped inside. "It's the one thing I'm giving you... The very thing I wanted so badly... A chance to run away... To escape from terror, torture, and evil."

A paper flying on the wind coasted through the air, flying towards the house, and instantly burning up once it got near the flames. Envy's silence during that moment was a statement that nothing would be passing through those flames. Those inside were doomed to stay, and the one outside could not interfere.

"The agony..." Envy whispered, staring at the fire as it consumed the house. "The agony she is enduring, for the one she cares for... She is perfectly willing to die in there, if it means you have a chance to escape the fire. Everyone around you risked their lives for your own. And you take it for granted, much like your mother's love. She died for you, and now, even more are dying for your sake. Even I have suffered, simply to protect you."

She turned to Grave with an angry expression, "You don't deserve it." she announced with hatred. "YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE LOVED!"

The flames surrounding the building suddenly roared, bringing an agonized scream from Club, who's voice trembled inside of the deadly flames. "Gwave, please!" she begged him, "Club doesn't care what she says, Club thinks Gwave is the best!" she shouted, even as she suffered in agony, "Just run away Gwave!" she screamed, crying as the flames burned her, consuming the house quickly, approaching her lone figure in the center. "RUN AWAY GWAVE!" she cried at the top of her voice, the threat of the flames soon about to consume her as well.

Staring at Cynder, Envy's expression was that of fixated hatred, until Club's voice whispered from within the flames, her body curled up, accepting her own approaching death.

"I love you, Gwave..." she whispered... As Envy suddenly smiled at him.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Grave didn't hope that his apology would do much. He just hoped that the girl would stop for at least a few moments and give him a chance to come up with some kind of plan. However, if her words were any indication, she would rather watch him squirm. When she turned away and stared at the burning house, he wondered briefly why her attention seemed to drift off him. The way she glared at him, her stare reflecting both him and everything behind him, he was sure she was about to do something very painful to him. Then he saw the house in front of him begin to collapse... And heard Club's voice coming from inside. In that instant, the half-blood reached a realization that turned his blood to ice. Right then, he wasn't the demon's target. She wanted to torture those who cared about him first, to take everything away from him before finishing him off. And she was going to start with the girl who loved him.

Panicking, Cynder tried to think of something to do, pausing when Envy spoke to him. What he heard shocked him so much that he nearly forgot what was going on. A chance to escape? She was willing to let him run away, now that she had him in her grasp? His instincts screamed at him to take it. The flames would incinerate everything they touched. Club was beyond his reach. And yet... He could not bring himself to move. Not before his sister spoke again, her words cutting him deeper than anything else he ever heard. And as she turned to face him once again, shouting, he couldn't help but agree with her. He was not worth this sacrifice, or any other. The goblin's words, who tried to reassure him even when she was about to die, only helped drive that point home. Even someone as childish as that girl was better than he was, willing to risk her life for the sake of another person. And as he heard her confess her love, as he saw the smile form on his sister's face, the young man realized one thing. There was no escape. This would keep happening unless he stopped it.

And then, he had enough. Driven past his limit, Grave felt as if his entire world suddenly caught on fire. Before he even knew it, his body was already moving, breaking into a mad rush... Not away from the burning house, but towards it! He could hear his own voice as he screamed his response to Club's desperate plea. "LIKE HELL I WILL! I'LL GET YOU OUT OF THERE, EVEN IT KILLS ME, DAMN IT!" Ignoring the grinning demon, he desperately considered his options as he ran towards the girl who loved him... The girl he loved. His magic wouldn't be of much use here - he could try to construct some kind of stone barrier between the girl and the flames, and possibly some platforms he could use as a path. But that alone could be not enough. He had little skill with magic, something proven by his earlier attempts to create a weapon. They could be unstable or simply too weak to withstand the flame. None the less, it was worth a shot, and he focused his mind on making it happen, willing a wall of stone to appear around Club, with a path consisting of elevated platforms leading to it from the outside. If that failed, he would try to use his sword - if the flames were magical, perhaps the blade could absorb at least some of them. Altough Cynthia warned him that heat could destroy the blade, he was willing to risk it. His third option... Was a suicidal dive through the flames. If everything else failed, he'd have to gamble on the chance that he'd not burn up immediately like that piece of paper... An the slim, insane hope that his sister, who clearly wanted to savor her revenge, wouldn't let him die so easily.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Making a mad dash, and summoning what magic to himself that he could, the stone he formed in his desperation was clumsy, and as he expected, turned to liquid as it touched the flames. Every magical thread cast from his soul barely had a chance to form anything at all, before the unnatural flames split the threads apart. One couldn't even tell what Grave was trying to make, only that it wasn't working. Step after step, getting closer to the flames, the heat made Cynder's flesh burn. Drawing his sword, the flame's dance seemed to direct towards the blade. And as Cynthia promised, the blade began to react negatively. The hilt grew blazing hot in his hand. And, running for the door, the sword seemed to suck in the flames as much as it was able, before the blade itself began to melt in his hand.

The flames slightly doused, his last choice became more feasible with some of the flames absorbed by his now ruined sword. Making a leap, Grave's clothes were singed from the flames trying to burn him alive. The air wasn't even breathable, as the terribly hot flames took away any trace of oxygen.

His leap landing him inside of the house, in pain, but still alive, Club seemed to be suffering the effects of the lack of oxygen, as she lay nearly unconscious on the floor, apparently having used the last bit of her air to scream at Cynder, begging him to run.

A sudden, intense blast of hot air came from the doorway he leaped through. However, this time, he'd manage to keep his feet. The familiar figure of Envy was walking towards him, her face warped in wretched hatred. Her eyes nearly bulging out of her head. Without a word, she approached him. Her hair began to make unnatural movements. At first it seemed to be moving on the wind, until they formed together in thick vines, arching over Envy's head in the shape of a spider's legs.

"You're willing to go this far..." she whispered under the sound of the burning flames, before suddenly, her living hair rushed forward, and plowed into Grave, sending him flying off of his feet, and through a weak wall, crumbling it as he fell into the alley behind the house.

Stepping to the hole made by Cynder's struck body, Envy stared down at him, the front of her body covered in the shadow cast by the flames. The only thing visible was her glowing red eyes, which long lost their humanity, and the shadowy figure of her living hair, which glowed with powerful magic, controlled by a powerful force to make her hair a lethal weapon.

Her predatory hair lunged forward once more, and swirled around Grave's body. Like snakes, her extended hair coiled around him, and trapped him. "You are going to watch them die, whether you want to, or not." she announced.

Without warning, Envy suddenly flew through the air like an arrow, and slammed into the house Cynder was flung towards. And landing on her feet, coughing, falling to her knees, to rip the hair off of Grave, was Club herself, wheezing desperately as her face was red from her struggling for air. Pulling on him once she ripped most of the strands off, Club had a great sense of urgency. "Run...!" she wheezed, opting this time, to flee with Cynder.

Throwing some rubble off of herself, Envy crawled from the mess she was struck into, clawing at the rock like a feral animal. Wordlessly, she reached her arm out, as she commanded her hair once more, only this time, to grab Club. In a swift motion, the goblin was stolen away from Grave, before Envy quickly made her retreat, her hair lifting her on the ground, and carrying her out of the rubble, moving like insect legs as she stole Club away, fleeing with her.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Grave was not suprised that his magic didn't work. He hoped that it'd make a difference, but his skills were too weak, his power too small. Seeing as his first resort failed, he switched to manual methods of fighting magic - namely, his sword. The blade quickly overheated as it absorbed the flames, searing his hand just as the heat released by the blaze scorched his skin. The blade quickly lost it's shape, unable to bear the energy, but it had done it's job - the fire was no longer an impassable barrier. Dropping his half-molten sword, he took a deep breath and lunged through the barrier, landing on the other side, ignoring the sorry state of his clothes and skin, though he did wince from all the pain he was going through. However, upon noticing Club, who was unable to keep herself up anymore, he promptly forgot about everything else. He dashed to her, trying to grab her and run, before the inferno killed them both.

Cynder's attempt, however, was interrupted by a sudden blast of air. He managed to keep standing, but when he saw his sister... He began to wonder whether that was a good thing. She looked as if she was about to burst from all the hatred she was holding in, her hair forming dexterous limbs. He had little doubt that those vine-like appendages were stronger than they've looked. His assumptions were soon proven true as the girl smashed her hair into him, sending the young man through a wall. The half-blood let out a gasp and a short cry of pain, his body nearly completely paralyzed. Though at first glance it didn't seem that he took a lot of damage, this was the second time his back hit a wall like this and the exposure to intense heat didn't do him any favors either. He could only stare at her, into her demonic eyes. It seemed that she would not entertain the idea of acting like a cliche book villain. She'd kill him if he denied her the rest of her revenge.

Once more, her hair struck, but this time the girl was satisfied with immobilizing Grave, rather than attacking. He could only struggle weakly against the bonds, trying to regain freedom of movement, but the tentacles kept him pinned to the ground. Glaring at his sister, he tried to come up with a defiant response, but before he could say anything, he was treated to the sight of a flying girl smashing into a wall. This seemed to be so unreal, he couldn't understand what happened at first. Only after Club joined him, ripping off the hair wrapped around him, he managed to realize that the little girl had saved him. The fact that she was safe brought him great joy, but her condition still looked bad. It was time to retreat. "We're running together!" He replied, trying to help her get the "vines" off him and get up.

However, Cynder's emotions once again turned into fear as he realized that his sister wasn't down. If anything, she seemed to be enraged. She used her hair for the third time, and the young man quickly realized, to his horror, that now she intended to capture Club. He didn't even manage to shout a warning or push the girl out of the way before she was snatched away, the demon fleeing the scene with her. This suprised the half-blood, who didn't expect his sister to retreat. She had the upper hand, why was she running? Something was wrong. And he quickly decided that whatever caused this, he couldn't let his sister get away. Scrambling to his feet, trying to ignore the pain he was in, he struggled to pursue the pair. Anger overtook him once more as he tried to use his magic once more, this time attempting to create a blade - not a half-baked piece of scrap like last time, but a proper short sword. And while he probably would be unable to catch up, he was willing to bet he could hit his sister if he threw his weapon.
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

His sister gave no chance to toss his weapon in her direction. Weaving through buildings quickly, it took all his effort to keep her in sight. Nearing a clearing, with the black tornadoes swirling behind her, Grave had the shot he'd been looking for. Even slowing down, she became much easier to hit. But as he'd draw his arm back, half a dozen feathers made of ice suddenly blocked his path, thrown like daggers from the sky, before a woman with black wings soared down to the ground from the side, landing in front of him to block his way, Envy's retreat halted as she stared at them both.

"You've done enough, Cynder..." Cynthia informed him, standing tall in front of him, her back to Envy. Her own red eyes, lacking the glow of Envy, holding a calm demeanor towards him, stared at the oval eyed prince. "I have foreseen that this moment will not end without bloodshed... You must understand, Cynder, that you're coming here for my sake was a mistake, however brave. I am certain now that I did not make a mistake when I chose you..."

Without warning, she suddenly flourished her wing, sending another flurry of ice feathers, small and sharp, which he barely managed to deflect with his sword on that second's notice. "But you are also stubborn. Know that I mean no ill by doing this, Cynder... This is for your own sake, please understand." she implored him with an emotionless expression.

Envy's hair lowered, returning to it's original shape and form, while only one strand still held Club captive. Looking to Grave, her red eyes regarded him, fury and rage lost, with her cool, emotionless expression returned. "You still deserve to suffer, Grave." his sister announced. "But... You do not act like the wicked person I've suffered so long to torture. But I did not suffer every waking moment of my life, to not have my revenge. I understand this woman is somewhat special to you?" she gestured at Cynthia, before lifting Club, as if in mock offering. "If you kill her, I'll return this girl, and return to Hell. If not, I'll crush her bones, and you can keep the bird instead."

"Do you understand?" she asked him.

Without waiting for an answer, Cynthia began stepping towards him, frowning in a sudden display of emotion, as a tear rolled down her cheek, "This is the moment I've promised you, Grave. Take your revenge out of my body, or my magic will cut you...!" she announced with unwavering stride, magic flowing into her feathers as she glowed threateningly. "I'm the one to die, I'm the wretched one. Each of Envy's vengeful cries were meant for me, not you.

"Take your revenge Grave! Avenge both yourself, and your sister! Kill me!"
 
Re: Golden Revenge (Grave)

Running through the maze of buildings in an effort to keep up his sister, Grave clutched the blade in his hand tightly, trying to keep his mind off the gruesome visions of bloody conflict that his imagination supplied. He was beat up and exhausted after the ordeal, not to mention hungry, but for the time being it did not matter to him. Though he could barely keep up with her, the young man continued to run, praying for a chance. And it appeared that he'd get it - eventually, his sister moved to an open space, her back in sight. The half-blood raised his arm, preparing to throw his sword, before a number of ice shards struck the ground before him, making him stop. Out of the corner of the eye, he noticed that Envy stopped as well, and joined him in staring at the woman who threw the projectiles. Descending onto the ground before him was Cynthia, safe and sound.

Cynder was caught off-guard by the sudden appearance of the crow woman. Even though he was confused, trying to figure out what was going on, it did allow him to catch a breath and compose himself. He frowned as he analyzed Cynthia's words, opening his mouth to protest. Sure, he screwed things up royally, as he seemed to do constantly, but he didn't believe that coming here was a wrong choice. He simply didn't have a better option! But before he could voice his opinion, he noticed the movement of the girl's wing, his eyes widening as he noticed the glint of ice feathers flying towards him. Acting purely on instinct, he somehow managed to deflect the attack, even as his mind reeled. What the Hell was she doing? Her words and actions didn't make sense when put together!

Desperately trying to figure out what was going on, Grave quickly turned his attention to Envy when she spoke up. He couldn't help but notice that with those emotionless red eyes, both girls seemed somewhat similiar, even though his sister was much more malevolent. The change from "raving lunatic" to "emotionless creepy girl" didn't bother him much - he saw her in that state before - but her words were somewhat shocking. She more or less admitted that she was willing to let him and Club off the hook, at least for now. Granted, there was a price, and a damn high one, but she sure as Hell wouldn't do that if he still was evil incarnate in her eyes! The situation changed so abruptly, he had to pause and consider the words - and threats - directed at him. And frankly, it didn't take much to put everything together.

Cynder collected himself once more, turning his face to Cynthia. His sister gave him a simple choice - one girl or the other. The crow was pushing him to take the first option - kill her and save Club. And she was more than willing to use force, possibly lethal force, to make him go for that option. The half-blood's face twisted into an angry grimace. Just how far would she go? His emotions were in a conflict. He didn't come her to kill Cynthia. But at the same time, he was in this mess because of her actions. As he thought about it, he had to admit - she killed his mother, damned his sister and gave him a harsh life. Even if he could forgive her for the latter, he wasn't the only one who was wronged. The tengu sought to face the consequences of her actions and atone for them, hoping to save the situation before it got even worse. But he would be the one who made things happen. It'd be his action - or inaction - that decided everything. Raising his sword and dropping into a stance, he sent the crow a grim stare. It was her support that let him get this far. And it would be her sacrifice that allowed him to save Club. And even if he didn't strike, she would. With a growl, Grave charged forward, preparing to cut down the woman before him.
 
Re: For you (Grave)

Taking a stance, and holding his shabbily formed blade, just sharp enough to take the vengeance he was promised, time seemed to slow. Her wing lowering, Cynthia seemed to be able to tell what his decision was. She made no movement. She stared at Grave as he charged towards her as if looking at death itself. There was no wavering of determination in her eyes. Ready for her execution, she stood, waiting for him to reach her, and strike her down.

"There's no such thing as right and wrong, Grave," a very familiar old man once told him.

"When you become a man, you'll be forced to make choices. And it won't always be easy to say which choice is the right one."

"It's very easy to be overcome with rage. You might cut down everything in your path to make life easier."

"There is nothing that can prepare you for these unforeseen choices. But the kind of man you are shows when you make them."

Holding his blade, he drew close enough to swing.

"Sacrifices are always made. Often small, but sometimes lives are lost instead of sweat and tears."

Cynder's edge began to course through the air, moving swiftly towards it's victim's flesh.

"Nothing is ever certain, until you make it so. That's the power of choice, the power you've been given. You may even have the power to govern someone's life one day."

In a swift motion, blood spilled into the air.



"Will you choose to take someone's life, Grave?"

"I've raised you well, but sometimes... I worry."

A flutter of black feathers quickly sink to the ground, most drenched in blood, as their owner falls with them.

"I hope I'll live long enough to see what kind of man you become..."



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 4: For you​

Though it seemed to last forever, the moment had come and gone in an instant. Eyes wide, Cynthia lay at his feet. His black clothes had splatters of blood on them. And the tips of his boots began to become stained with the growing pool of blood from Cynthia's body.

Club stared at the picture scene of Grave, standing over Cynthia's slain body with wide eyes, her face pale. Trauma seemed to rip her mind in two as someone very familiar to her was killed in an instant.

Envy stared at Cynthia's body laying on the ground. "She's still alive." his sister stated. And it was true. Eyes wide from shock, Cynthia still yet twitched on the ground, tears pouring from her eyes. "Are you going to let her bleed to death?" Envy asked out of curiosity.
 
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Re: For you (Grave)

Grave was breathing hard, gripping the sword so tightly it nearly hurt his hand. Even though it took only seconds, that moment felt like eternity. Countless thoughts went through his head as he watched Cynthia fall to the ground. He didn't care about the blood on his clothes, the blood he was standing on. He barely registered Envy's words, focused entirely on the body in front of him, and the words that came to his mind during the charge. He never really understood what the old man meant by that. When he was young, he firmly believed that some things were right and some were wrong. He pushed that notion out of his mind some time after he began to wander around the world, though it still lingered somewhere in his subconscious. But now, as he stood there, a bloodied sword in one hand, he finally realized what those words meant. And he prayed that wherever he was, the old man's wish was not fulfilled. Otherwise, he'd probably be very disappointed.

As he thought abut it, Cynder kneeled next to Cynthia. The girl wouldn't not survive, but at that moment, she was still alive. She was probably in pain, too. The young man tried to compose himself. He didn't want to simply leave her like this, but he doubted he could bring himself to strike again. He didn't strike her down out of a sense of justice, or a clear desire for revenge. There was resentment, and a desire to stop his pain by hurting another person, but that merely gave him an inclination to end this with violence. What pushed him into action was fear - fear that if he didn't do this, someone innocent, someone close to him would die. He was afraid of his sister, too. He didn't have the power nor right to deny her revenge. Cynthia brought her - and him - to this point, consciously or not. Pushed into a corner, he finally lashed out at her, hoping to bring things to an end, giving up on attempting to fix this - not that he knew what to do. Though he felt guilt because of this, he realized that there was no turning back. He had done the deed, and the best he could do is end the girl's pain. Focusing on that, he raised his sword and brought it down again, aiming to end her life instantly.
 
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Re: For you (Grave)

The conclusive ending to one's life, brought about by the very one who had her life taken by the boy she tried to rip from the grip of fate, seemed to thwart every attempt she had made. Years of devotion to her cause crumbled at the hands of the one who was destined to live with a black heart. In front of fate itself, she had stood firm, and sought to defy what was destined for him, in the effort of leading him on a different path. But now, in front of the boy she saved, she was nothing but a corpse.

A shadowy figure observing the situation made these thoughts, as he calmly watched fate take hold of it's possession yet again. Always observing, there was only so much he could do within his own power to keep balance. In truth, he was sided with the crow, but it seems fate had other intentions. Grave Cynder, it seemed, had chosen to become a problem, instead of a solution.

"I suppose it couldn't be helped," he decided, "Fate after all, doesn't appreciate being toyed with. It seems this is her message that any who defy her will won't be let off easy."

Waving his hands, covered in black leather, he elegantly made a display of a million glorious strings of magic, altering his view into the world. His focus fixing on the two girls, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of hope.

"Grave... Don't be fickle..."
Click to expand...

Soaked in blood, Envy stared at the body at Cynder's feet, before her hair suddenly relaxed, and released the goblin in it's grip. Distraught, and covered in tears, Club ran towards Grave, and without warning, drew her fist back, and slammed it into his face as hard as she could, knocking him to the ground and sending a painful shock through his body. "Gwave... You bastard!" she cried, tears still pouring from her eyes. "Why!? How could you!? Cynthia loved you! Club and Gwave came here to save Cynthia, not kill her!"

Turning from Cynder, Club cried endlessly as she turned to Cynthia's body, crying her heart out over the death of someone close to her heart.

"You ended up helping them in the end." Envy stated to him. "And not without even a tear as you killed her." Grinning, Envy seemed quite happy. "I can hear mother's voice inside of you. At last, she as disgusted with you, as she was with me." she announced happily. No longer the target of her envy, Grave now looked as wretched as she felt. "How does it feel, Grave?" she asked him, "Are you proud of yourself for killing someone who loved you? At this rate, you will have to kill that little creature as well," she looked at Club, gesturing with her eyes. And in the eyes of the goblin, staring up at Grave from where she kneeled over Cynthia's body, was nothing but pure hatred.
 
Re: For you (Grave)

Grave let his blade dissolve. He didn't move, staring at Cynthia's body. He didn't register the fact that his sister let Club go, or that the goblin was running towards him. Her fist was a little harder to ignore. The sudden shot to the jaw send him to the ground, away from the corpse, his body shaken by the sudden impact. He couldn't suppress a wince as pain pierced him like a lance. Somehow, it felt as if his entire body had been punched, not just his face. He didn't blame her. He just killed someone important to her, he hurt her more than anyone else. And on top of that, he did help out the crow's enemies. He couldn't deny the truth in Envy's words. Taking a deep breath, he slowly tried to stand up, facing Club. Her eyes held nothing but hatred. Good. It was best if she hated him like that. Up to this point, his life had been completely pointless. But now, he caused immense damage to god knows how many people. He was just like his sister, both of them beyond redemption. Hate was all he deserved, and if Club decided to take it out on him, then so be it. Cynder kept his face passive. He didn't want to show any of his self-loathing. Any of the grief he felt whenever he glanced at Cynthia's body. He merely waited for the next strike.
 
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