Adrian's Story

Dialog: #6600CC
Location: Ballroom



Dialog: #000066
Location: Ballroom

Through his hazy drunken eyes, he admired Vitane as she gracefully made her way down the stairs. He felt as though his heart was erupting as he gazed upon her beauty. “How did you get so lucky? Shit, I think you have it all wrong. You look fucking exquisite.” he rested his hand on her hip and grinned from ear to ear. ”It’s not necessarily ballroom material, but I love it. I hope you like it.”
“You’re perfect and yes, I love it.” He pulled her into him and kissed her on the lips. The corners of his mouth twitched up again, he was in absolute awe over her. “You have no idea” he breathed, resting his temple against hers and gripping the side of her dress “How much I just want to rip that gown off of you right now. I can’t believe I’m saying this but unfortunately, I have a party to host.” He kissed her forehead and intertwined his fingers with hers. He began leading her towards the ballroom, but she pulled him to a stop “Jason...there’s -uh...something I need to talk to you about.” He observed the concern on her face and then shifted his eyes to the crown on her head. He dropped her hand and took a step back from her as a wave of clarity washed over him.

He could see it all so vividly and felt his body go into slight shock as the memories filtered through.

He gazed upon the chaotic flames of a town turning into rubble, he smiled at the disaster feeling humored and full of pride. His solitude was short lived when a cloud of dark purple smoke formed next to him and in its place emerged an elf. The beautiful redhead had ivory skin imprinted with dozens of clear tribal like tattoos. She had pointed ears and her eyes were hauntingly stunning, a translucent violet with the reflection of an old soul and malevolence. She wore a thick black and purple cloak with its hood down, black pants, a strapless black top and a crown ingrained in her temple.
“Avery?” He was perplexed, for she was not the same girl he had killed but their facial features resembled.
“No, the name is Lola. Piece of advice dear, the next time you set out to kill a Hunter, make sure you have the right sister.” Suddenly, she stabbed him in his lower abdomen with a poisoned dagger. The pain was excruciating, he grasped onto the blade in shock and stumbled unconsciously to the ground.
Lola giggled, she leaned forward and grabbed him by his hair. Through a mist they’re were transported into a dungeon. She casually walked, dragging him behind her and she whistled happily. “Look Tien!” she chimed as he was making his way passed her. “I’ve got a new toy.”
Tien glanced at Jason’s lifeless body and chuckled “So this is the Kitsune that killed Avery, nice catch.”
Lola winked at him and continued to drag Jason until they reached an empty cell. She pulled him up by his shirt onto a tall metal throne. She began strapping him down with metal rods that were in a pile next to her. She wrapped one around each ankle, she twisted and bent the mineral as though it were a rubber band. She than sat on his lap and wrapped the bands around his bicep, his forearms and his wrists. Finally she grabbed the last rod and she encased it around his neck. Lola brushed dust off his shirt casually and he slowly opened his eyes. It only took a moment upon seeing her face for him to burst into a frenzied panic. He bellowed at her, his fangs grew and his eyes turned white as he attempted to free himself with all his might. Lola stood up and snickered “Relax dear, your struggle is pointless.
He ignored her and continued to wrestle but gave up after a few minutes. It was useless, he was confined by magic and the more he attempted to break free, the straps became tighter.
He took a breath and glared her.
She smiled at him and spoke softly I've heard lots about you, it's evident that you have a death wish, how naïve. You don’t know what it means to be dead.”
He had been locked away for five years, through it all he endured copious amounts of torture. Every day she would alternate between different forms from lashing, to electrocution, drowning, suffocating, cutting, high pitch noises, starvation and poisons. At first he could tolerate it but as the days went on his body weakened and the desire to recover began to vanish. Sometimes she would release the straps, depending on the form of torture. Some days after a good hunt she’d be kind and sometimes she didn’t show up at all. He recalls the peaceful smiles or look of boredom on her porcelain face. After a while he learned that her goal was not to kill him but to make him feel the pain of the four hundred thirty-eight thousand and fifty-three souls that he had taken.
She was an interesting being, she had a hankering for chaos and yet she deemed that she was a creature of unbiased justice. It became abundant that these beasts were driven by something else. Their realm embellished you in sweet torture, you felt little although sorrow was a constant. They were rather peaceful beings who loved to spar. He had even seen Death in person once, it was odd. From what the redhead would describe, she was the only one who could see his true face, the flesh around the skeleton. She even called him by name as though they were old friends from a different life. He seemed to admire her though it was clear that she did not reciprocate. Then gossip spread through the dungeon that she had an ability of Charming Allure. That Death was only taken by her due to this ability. Yet, an argument was made that Lola could not possibly enchant a God, of all beings.
He remembered a time where he could barely contain it and her voice rang in his ear’s “Oh look Tien, he’s finally transforming! How I love when they struggle” she awed over his shapeshift.
Their last encounter before her demise, she had sliced his neck with a dagger to nearly decapitate him. It was in honor of her sister; the wound had taken weeks to heal.

He zoned back into the moment, his face had gone pale. He shook his head “Fucksakes. I took oblitus to forget all of it. I never thought someone could actually make me hate getting tortured, she knew what she was doing all too well I’ll tell you that. Anytime I would avoid healing or I simply couldn’t, she would inject me with some fucked up serum forcing me to do so. God knows I tried with all my might to escape but once they have you, especially in their realm, there’s no winning. I killed her sister because of a bet...it’s one of the reasons why Forrest and I are so well off. To be honest, I thought it was her. They were basically twins the resemblance was remarkable but Avery was no Hunter. Learned that the hard way. Killing Lola was probably one of the most gratifying things I’ve ever done. Honestly, I’d redo it all just for the sake of ripping that fucking crown from her skull all over again. How do you even have it?”

“I can’t wait to see the look on her face, do be careful, she may lose her shit. I’ll have to tell Forrest all this, after the party though. This chaos is not worth ruining a good evening, besides, what's one more night?”

He took her hand and they made their way into the ballroom. They walked to the center and a spotlight beamed on them. The party guests scattered off to the sides forming a large circle around the couple. A maid ran up to Jason and handed him a microphone, he cleared his throat. “Good evening everyone” he said coolly and grinned, you could hear some of the women in the crowd sighing in awe. Jason crooked his brow and chuckled then proceeded “I’m looking forward to getting more trashed than I already am, fuck you Eli and Zack.” The duo drunkenly cheered from the side. He then pulled Vitane a little closer to him “In case some of you were wondering, this lovely piece of delicacy right here is my beauty queen Vitane. She’s here by choice, I know, it’s surprising” than there was a sad aww among the same females as before.

Tien, that’s Lola’s crown Keaira whispered and nodded towards Vitane On that skeleton
Tien peered over at Vitane Well fuck. It was never shattered, that’s why she was reincarnated. Change of plans, we need to get that crown. Good news is, Lola can be fully restored.
Keaira leaned into Tien what about the Kitsune?
Tien shrugged Lola has always had more bloodlust than most of us
Not in her final years Tien and not since she’s become human. The redhead has become a stranger to chaos.
Well, once that potion kicks in... I’m sure she wouldn’t disagree on passing up a good fight.
Even if unnecessary? I will admit, I can’t wait to see her go in a frenzy. It’ll be just like the old days. She’s always been a wild one.

Jason dropped Vitane’s hand and brushed it through his hair. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and leaned into her “As you all know, I will find any excuse to party. But aside from my own desire to have a good time we are here for a specific reason. Today we celebrate my old man of a brother, his three hundredth and sixty-seventh birthday. I know, shocker, I fact checked. As you may recall, last year, I had no fucking clue how old he turned. As you can tell by the decor, we are also celebrating the birthday of the lovely Miss Lola Hart. I’m not fond of that crazy redhead but hey she makes my brother happy. Besides, this castle has seen more fucked up shit. So there’s that. Anyways, in honor of my brother, I’d like to say a toast. For without his astounding patience and generosity, I would probably be more of a fuck up than I am today. Now without further a due, I present, the birthday couple!”

When she heard Forrest clear his throat, she twirled to face him. She felt breathless, he looked so handsome and just like a dream. Her anxiety was forgotten, she felt at peace gazing into his eyes. “You look amazing” she said in small voice of wonderment. She could not break her gaze as he led her to the doors of the ballroom.
”Hey, what was wrong this morning? It’s been bothering me since you left. Are you alright?”
Lola grimaced, the feeling of blissful euphoria vanishing into actuality. “Oh, I’m okay dear, just a stomach-ache. Nerves probably.”

Jason led Vitane off to the side of the ballroom and watched as Forrest and Lola entered the hall. There was pit in his stomach the moment he saw her, now having recalled all that she had done. He listened intently as his brother spoke, trying to keep his face blank but feeling disgusted as he declared his love.

Lola’s body was shaking as she stepped through the magnificent doors of the ballroom. She averted her eyes from the crowd and counted her steps as she walked, suddenly a spotlight was on them. She felt uneasy and breathed slowly trying to relax, Forrest’s body heat was always comforting. She spaced out completely and then she felt Forrest shift at her side. She slowly turned her head towards him. Her eyes scanned up his body, then briefly locked onto a diamond ring before she met his gaze. She was speechless, surely he couldn’t be serious. Her face portrayed a look of bewilderment and awe. She felt a lump in her throat. He slid the ring onto her finger and she was struck with pained sorrow. Oh no....

Jason’s eyes widened in disbelief “Oh fuck” he muttered.

He seemed harmonious and looked at her as though she was the only one existence. He bowed asking for her hand in a dance, hesitantly she curtsied and took his offer. He twirled her into him and lifted her up so effortless. The world stood still with him and the fear somehow vanished. She felt at home, except that the feeling of constant sorrow was replaced with sweet ecstasy. It was like a trance, she was completely captivated by him. She wished for time to stop, she longed to stay still with him forever. They would lean in for a kiss every so often. For the first time in her human existence she felt like her old self. She sensed the joy of chaos, the constant bliss in her livelihood and a feeling of slight madness. He was simply intoxicating.

Jason gave Vitane a blank look and shrugged “Well, now there’s that” he stated. The guests were starting to dance and Jason thought it best for the sole purpose of appearances to join in. He bowed to Vitane and took her hand. They danced for a while and though they were graceful and swift, it was clear that Jason was not fond of the sport. His discomfort didn’t necessarily bother him, not as long as Vitane was in his arms. He wanted to block off the world and give his brother one night of peace. Forrest had not been this way since his youth. He was not ready to rob him of such a reality nor prepared to deal with the consequences. After a while, Jason led them to his group of friends. Among the eight were Eli and Tristan, goofing off and drinking. Jason kept his arm wrapped around Vitane’s waist. He pulled out a cigar and smoked it as they all chatted away on numerous topics such as bets, murder and magic.

They had danced for what felt like only a few minutes but realistically an hour had passed. She leaned up and kissed him on the lips, she held him there for several minutes, never wanting to part. Her heart felt as though it was being compressed. She held onto him tightly until she was out of breath. Then, her eyes shot open. Her pupils dilated and she leaned away from him. She took a step back but held onto his hands. She gently squeezed them as she stared upon him through pained eyes “None of this will matter in two minutes. Please know that through my hundreds of years of existence, I have never loved someone as much as I love you. She bit her lower lip It’s a shame really…I’ve always wanted a demon…”
She dropped one of his hands, she could feel the potion beginning to take control. As she broke away with her left hand, she slipped the engagement ring into his palm. She shrugged her shoulder and whispered “I love you Forrest and I am so sorry.”
She dropped her gaze and as she turned on her heel, she gripped the skirt of her dress and tore it off. She tossed the material behind her and slipped her hands into her black jean shorts. She strutted through the crowd and passed between Adrian and Tien. She turned on her heel, walking backwards, they were now draped in their cloaks as they headed for Forrest. She locked her eyes with his and held his gaze for a long moment. She had a mixed look of apology and increasing frenzy. She bowed her head and turned away from him, the crowd slowly arising in horrid panic.
It was an odd feeling, her skin was solidifying and she felt the powers of her immortality.

Jason became caught off guard when Eli wrapped his arm around Vitane and pulled her away from him. “What the fuck are you doing?” Jason spat. He shuddered suddenly, sensing a dark aura approaching but he had no time to turn. Lola gripped his arm, she launched him halfway across the room. He slammed to the ground and lifted his chin up to see her. She walked with crazed eyes of bloodlust. A group of guards sprinted to surround her but they were immediately blasted with a telekinetic force field. She did not drop her glare from Jason’s face, calmly approaching and repelling all who dared to attack.
Jason casually got to his feet and dusted himself off. He cracked his neck, once on both sides. He grinned sinisterly and pulled out a cigarette. He lit it with his finger and took a large drag. He conjured a ball of flame and whipped it at her, she paused the element mid-flight and hurled it back at him. He bent backwards and the ball nearly grazed him. It hit the wall and splattered in rippled flames. Jason recomposed himself and flicked his cigarette to the ground. Lola stood a few feet away from him with her fingers fidgeting at her sides. “Lola, are you nervous?” Jason mused and snickered “I love seeing you so vulnerable.”
Lola grimaced and bolted towards him, she jumped up and pinned him to the ground. Jason reached forward and grabbed her by the neck. He pulled her down into his chest and flipped himself on top of her. His arms were then restrained to his sides and he was blasted with telekinetic energy. He slammed against a wall and fell onto his torso. He pushed himself up onto his feet, Lola did the same. She waved her hands and lifted hundreds of knives. She launched them towards him as she walked. Jason shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and blew a blast of fire from his mouth. It disintegrated oncoming blades in his vicinity, he didn’t even flinch at the other’s passing by. “Come on Kitsune, don’t make me beg.”

Around them, the room had exploded into chaos. Numerous Hunter’s had emerged in dark hoods. She could see her associates in the corner of her eyes killing off all those who stood in their way.

Jason let out a small growl, his eyes pulsed white. He lunged himself at her, she dodged his attack and grabbed him by the collar. She threw him to the ground,he swept her leg and she fell down next to him. Jason kicked himself up on top of her he leaned into her to bite her neck. His fangs dug into her trapezius, she let out a loud cry. She grabbed him in a headlock. His teeth digging deeper, she winced through the brutality. She mustered up the strength and she managed, through the assistance of her telekinesis, to the pull herself on top of him. She ripped herself away from him, her body dripped with blood from where he had bitten. He grabbed her arm and pulled her off. He got to his feet and she bounced up as well.

Then, two Hunters emerged on either side of Lola. Jason crooked his brow and they blasted him back, slamming him against a wall. They used their telekinetic force to hold him in place, he struggled and their restraint started to make his skin pulse. He bellowed at them and allowed his body to transform. His arms and legs expanded growing three times in size, his veins bulged and he ripped through his suit. His body became covered with grey fur, his ears pointed and he grew a long furry tail. He struggled and growled; once he was fully transformed he was able to break free. He lunged at the Hunter closest to him, with his fangs he ripped him from the neck and decapitated him. Then, four more hunters emerged and Jason was quickly pinned to the ground. With the restraint of five, he couldn't budge in the slightest.
Lola walked up next to him and the Hunters closed in around them. She knelt down at his side. She clasped his jaw shut with her ability. She placed one hand beneath his jaw and pet the bridge of his nose with the other. “I had nearly forgotten how beautiful you are.” She brushed her hand along his chest and stopped over his heart, she could feel it beating feverishly. Without hesitation she began to extract his soul, the amethyst ring radiated on her finger. He broke from the restraint and grasped onto her forearm in agony. She stared at him in awe and a black glow began to form around her hand.

Dialog: #6600CC
Location: Ballroom



Dialog: #000066
Location: Ballroom

Lola was so captivated by the extraction of Jason’s soul, she had not clued into the chaos of her peers as Forrest grabbed them with his shadows. A moment later, she found herself scooped up in his arms and the soul returned to Jason. He bolted upright, transforming back into his human form and clasped his hand over his feverishly beating heart.
Lola’s eyes narrowed in on Jason’s face as Forrest pulled her away. She pushed against his forearms trying to break free but it was useless, Forrest’s strength was unmatched without her immortality. She was completely consumed by the frenzy, her mind was running wild. She twisted herself uneasily in his arms to face him. She glared and demanded with such venom “Let. me. go.”

Jason glanced over at a panicked Vitane. He lifted his hand up to her cheek as he caught his breath. He knew he didn’t have much time to recover for the Hunter’s were beginning to close in on him again. “Just save yourself” he pleaded. He kissed her cheek and jumped up to his feet. He looked over at Lola, but his mind switched gears, Forrest had a handle on her after all. He then glanced at the four Hunter’s who were cautiously approaching him, Keaira and Adrian among them. A look of wickedness gleamed in his eyes, he seemed to be enjoying this. He conjured a ball of flame and flung it at one of the Hunter’s. The Hunter repelled it with their telekinesis and launched it back. Jason dodged out of the way and it hit an enemy on the other side of him. The Hunter’s face burned and they fell to the ground in agony. Jason chuckled then lunged himself at the first Hunter. He pinned him to the ground and ripped the gem from his chest with his kitsune claws. He clenched his fist, the Hunter let out a screeching cry, the gem shattered and the enemy evaporated. Keaira and Adrian waved their hands and Jason was launched back and restrained to the ground. He squirmed under their strength in attempt to break free.

When Forrest didn’t release her, Lola’s face turned pained “Fucksakes, I don’t want to hurt you” she stated, her tone practically begging. She whimpered, with telekinetic force his arms slowly released and were pinned to his sides. She dropped to her feet in front of him and stared at him for a long moment, she could feel the potion wearing off “Fuck” she mumbled.
She turned on her heel and locked eyes with a raged Vitane and that’s when she noticed the crown in her hair. A smug expression painted her face “Oh, now that’s rich.”
Lola waved her hand and blasted Vitane to pin her against a nearby wall. She glanced back at Forrest and giggled “Human’s are so dumb.”
She strided towards the green eyed beauty with a sadistic grin on her face. She wrapped her hand around her neck and squeezed, she could feel the last wave of frenziness arising out of pure rage. “How did you honestly think this was going to play out?” she spat. She ripped the crown from her hair with her free hand and admired it for a moment. She peeked over her shoulder at Jason who was occupied with other Hunter’s. “Like I said” she returned her gaze to meet Vitane’s “If you put some meat on your bones, maybe you’d have a chance.” She placed the end of the crown in her mouth and then pressed her hand over Vitane’s heart. “See you in the afterlife, my dear” A white orb formed around her hand and she extracted the soul within seconds. Vitane’s body became limp beneath her grasp and she marvelled at the ball of light. She could see images of Vitane’s life flashing in the orb “Pity” she mumbled and clenched her fist. The soul danced around Lola for a moment before it entered the Amethyst on her crown.

It was like stab to his heart and his head snapped in Lola and Vitane’s direction. He saw the redhead holding Vitane as though she were a ragdoll, all color washed from his face. His heart dropped at the sudden realization when Lola simply tossed her to the ground and stepped away. He exploded in rage and broke from Keaira and Adrian’s hold. He could feel electric currencies running through his fingertips. They attempted with all their strength to restrain him again but their powers were useless. He waved his arm and suddenly two bolts of lightning blasted through the ceiling and electrocuted them. Jason was stunned and observed his hands, blue electric currents pulsed in his palms. He lifted a brow “That’s new” he mumbled. Than he refocused his attention to Vitane and Lola. He bolted for the redhead but Tien came in between them. Jason whipped balls of flames at him, the Dark Elf didn’t even flinch. He dodged each attempted hit and casually walked up to the kitsune. Jason then used his newfound ability to strike him with the lightning but he was quick to avoid. Tien met him in the middle, they glared at each other for a moment and he shrugged “This isn’t how you die, Kitsune. Your debt is voided and you know the outcome if you go after her” he simply stated.
Jason took a step back from the Dark Elf and glanced over at Vitane. He shook his head and sneered “Get that fucking redhead out of my house before I shatter both of you” . He turned away from him and walked over to Vitane. He felt broken, she had given him reason to fight but now, she was gone. His course had lost all value, he saw no purpose it in, for now was no time for vengeance. He hung his head and fell to his knees next to her lifeless body. He took a hold of her in his arms and brushed some hair from her face. She looked different, pale, cold and at peace. He pulled her up and hugged her against his bare torso in admitted defeat “I’m so sorry” he mourned.

Lola traced the silver in her hands, her eyes sparkled. Her mind flashed to the day she was crowned, to the oath she had taken and she mumbled to herself “Hail the King of Death.”

She bowed her head and gently placed the crown across her temple. She stared at the ground in anticipation and it didn’t take long for the gem in the center to be illuminated. The silver of the crown sprawled out like the legs of a spider as it fused into her skull, she winced, it was just as painful as she remembered. Then, smoke like shadows flowed from the gem. It wrapped itself around her like ribbons and it levitated her. Her clothes were stripped and landed beneath her, she remained covered by the shadow as it cleansed. It removed blemishes and scars from her human life until her skin became flawless. She watched in amazement as lines drew across her body detailing her skin with the tribal tattoos from her clan. She could feel a stretch on her ears and her hands shot up as they grew a point. The smokey ribbons then broke in half. One set wrapped around her and formed a dress and the other shaped itself into her cloak. It gently draped itself over her shoulders and she landed softly on her barefeet. The glow of the gem faded and her eyes slowly turned a translucent violet.
She twinkled her toes and analyzed herself. She began tracing the tattoos with her finger, her mouth twitched up and she felt relieved.
She clenched her fist and a familiar sense of power arose. She felt invincible again; she could sense her strength, her immortality and all that she had lost being restored. She twirled in excitement, her face reflected that of a kid on Christmas morning. She brushed herself and beamed up to see Tien standing a foot in front of her. He grinned and then glanced around the room “Alright everyone, we’re done here. Collect the fallen and return to your posts.”

The Hunter’s in the room proceeded to do as they were told, they extracted the souls of the dead before they disappeared in clouds of smoke.

Lola anxiously looked over at Forrest, Tien closed the gap between them and placed a hand on her shoulder “Come on Lola, let’s go home.” She met his gaze and then peered back at Forrest.
Tien grimaced and he stepped aside gesturing towards the demon. Lola hesitated, contemplating her actions. Tien placed a hand on the small of her back and urged her forward. She slowly wandered towards him. She stopped about a few inches apart and gazed into his golden eyes. The way she could see him now, it felt like she was looking at him through new eyes from an old life. She lifted her hand slowly to his cheek and he quickly brushed it off. Lola’s lips curled up and she let out a small giggle. “Your hostility is understandable, never thought I’d drive a demon mad.” She brushed some hair behind her ear and sighed “I didn’t mean to hurt you, you’ve been so wonderful. Trust me, if I could have done it differently I would have. It’s just, dead or alive...I belong to him.” She shrugged her shoulder “If it’s any consolation, I would have said yes.” She averted her gaze, she felt a strain in her heart feeling as though nothing could fix what's now been shattered.
She jumped up on her tiptoes and pecked him on the cheek then took a step back. She gave him one last look of apology before she turned on her heel to face a patiently waiting Tien.

She clapped her hands together and smiled, she walked towards him excitedly.
“Anything you want to do when we get back” he asked casually.
Lola hopped in her step and extended her arms out as she responded “Jump off the tallest tower of the castle and see how long it takes me to heal”
“I can never tell if you're joking” he admitted.
She stopped a foot in front of him and lifted a brow “That’s ironic considering you can read minds.”
“Yea but yours has always been a special kind of fucked up” She punched his arm and he chuckled. “I'll see you at home, Red” he said and he disappeared in his cloud of navy smoke.
Lola’s mouth twitched up gleefully as she stared at the open space. She sighed in awe and glanced around the destroyed ballroom. She grimaced, there were many eyes on her filled with fear and confusion. She lifted her hood and looked over at Forrest, her face became blank. She wanted more than anything to stay here with him and to explain. Though she knew it would be useless, besides she was out of time, Death was waiting. She averted her gaze and closed her eyes, she let herself be encompassed by thick purple smoke and then she vanished.

“Fuck” Jason huffed and hung his head in defeat. He felt numb. His mind was racing, what had he done? He put her in a place of danger, he should have better protected her. He hated himself, he felt broken and confused. His anger had gotten the best of him. He pulled Vitane into his chest and gave her one last hug when a guard approached him to take her body. He gently handed her over as though she were the most delicate thing he'd over held. The guard leaned forward and scooped her up and Jason got to his feet. "Clean her up and get her ready, she deserves a proper farewell" he instructed. He watched the guard carry her out and sighed in slight frustastion and grief. He glanced around the room, maids were filling in and guests were slowly filtering out murmuring in confusion.
He looked over at Forrest and grimaced “Well Demon, you let the crazy bitch live.” He scoffed and brushed a hand through his hair as he walked over to the bar. He hopped onto the counter and leaned over to grab a glass and bottle of whiskey. He poured himself a drink and took a sip “Tell me Forrest, what the fuck was it about her that made you propose, huh? Because I'm willing to bet I know Lola much better than you. Have a glass of whiskey with me Demon and how about I run you through some facts! One: she's crazy. Two: you're crazy. And Three:” He whipped the bottle of whiskey and it shattered against the wall. “She killed Vitane and you just let her walk out of here. Fucking hell Forrest. You have no idea how much I just want to rip out your fucking spine. It’s her tits, right? Damn she must have been good in the sack for you let this slide. I’ll tell you one thing, if Lola has taught me anything is that death is too generous. Vitane probably just got off easy but you, no, not you. I hope this swallows you in a pit of misery” he spat. He lifted his glass of whiskey in the air and toasted with heavy sarcasm “Cheers Demon, to happiness!”

Dialog: #6600CC
Location: Palace Bar

“Why the hell did we teleport back here?” Lola complained as her and Tien shuffled their way through the woods. They returned from a hunt, Tien carried an unconscious fairy over his shoulder and Lola dragged an unconscious werewolf by a black rope she had tied around his ankles. Tien turned on his heel to face her and shrugged as he continued to walk backwards.

The tip of Lola's ears twitched when she heard some light breathing. She paused mid step and glanced up. Through a break in the trees she could make out two figures sitting on branches. She pierced her eyes as she observed them, she could have sworn that the being closest to the ground was Forrest. A sudden slash ripped at her back and she fell on all fours. She cursed under her breath and sighed exasperatedly. Tien strided towards her, he extended his arm and helped her up. “He was nearly out of my mind. Fuck, I’m barely even high.”
Tien pulled out a slap stick and continued to walk. Lola glimpsed up again but then shook her head, his presence in this realm would be impossible. She continued to drag the werewolf and paced next to Tien, he passed her the joint and she took a large huff. She flicked the stick to the ground and they continued walking in prolonged silence. They were nearly on the outskirts of the forest when Tien said “Demons be damned, Demons be saved. Black wings of their own, their bloodline gave.”
Lola gave him a weird look “Ookkkaaayyy, what are you on?” she laughed. Tien simply grinned and proceeded forward.

"Lola!" Crisp and sudden, his voice echoed through the silent realm. Lola came to an abrupt halt and turned on her heel in the direction of his call. She felt a lump in her throat, was it truly him? She mumbled “Forrest?” She jolted forward, another slit across her back. She peered over at Tien, he seemed oblivious as he carried on. She grunted, slap was known to cause hallucinations. Nonetheless, she waited for a moment in hopes that she would hear him again but when all she heard was silence, she let out another exasperated sigh and continued onward.

They walked until they reached a circle of trees. Tien kicked one of the trunks, the ground shifted in the center and a set of stairs presented itself. They carried their victims down the stairs, the door closed quickly behind them. They reached the palace dungeon where they placed their creatures in individual empty cells. “See you in a bit” Lola stated and she skipped up the dungeon stairs into another part of the castle.

Arkin leaned on the doorframe of Lola’s bedroom, he admired her as she slipped into her outfit. She peeked over at him and nodded for him to come forward. He strided behind her and zipped up the dress, she turned on her heel to face him. “Too bright?” she questioned and grimaced.
Arkin brushed some hair behind her ear “Nah, you're perfect. Ready?”
She smiled up at him and nodded. He took her hand and they made their way through the castle exchanging a stick of slap.

They arrived at the palace bar which was already populated with hundreds of familiar friendly faces. The music blared from the DJ booth and though the night was young the room already reeked of alcohol. The music paused for a moment and the minotaur DJ that always hosted these events spoke in the microphone ”There she is! Everyone give a warm welcome to our crazy redhead, Llllooollllaaaa!” Lola grinned as her friends cheered, the room resumed with the music blaring even wilder.

The bar flashed for a moment between the ballroom of the Carson mansion and Lola jolted at an excruciating cut across her back. Arkin held her firmly at his side so she didn’t fall forward at the sudden hit. She shook her head and cursed under her breath. Arkin beamed at her and squeezed her shoulder “Come on, Chaos, let’s get fucked up.”
Lola glanced up at him and smiled weakly. She grabbed his hand from her shoulder and they made their way through the crowd. Individuals would stop them at nearly every step to give Lola a personal welcome and a big hug.

Tien shuffled through the party and huffed once he reached Lola and Arkin. He handed her a glass of Dragon’s fire alcohol and they cheered. Lola downed it without hesitation, it burned her throat and she coughed. “My God, I forgot how strong that shit is” she wheezed and giggled. Arkin took the glass from her and set it on a tray of a passing butler. He took her hand and they made their way to the bar. When they reached the counter Arkin signaled three to the vampire bartender. Tien and Arkin stood on either side of Lola as the mixologist laid out nine shot glasses. He poured three different alcohols, a shot of Siren’s Sea, Leprechaun’s Luck and Kappa’s Kurse. Lola grabbed the shot of Kappa’s Kurse and glanced over at Tien then Arkin “Bottom’s up” she cheered, they clung their glasses and downed the liquid. They did the same with the following two shots, Lola winced after each one. They all burned her throat in a different way, she scrunched up her nose and hiccuped. She turned her back to the bar and leaned with her elbows propped up on the counter to observe the party. She peeked back when the bartender laid out three more shots, one for each of them.
Lola gave Arkin a look “Just tequila” he grinned.
Lola laughed “Oh, like that’s any better!”
He brushed her hair aside and sprinkled some salt on the dip of her neck. She looked over at Tien, staring at him blankly as Arkin licked the salt from her body and downed his shot. Lola glanced back over at him and gave him a small smile. She took her beverage and said “I prefer to drink it straight.” She cheered with Tien and they slammed back the alcohol.

Lola was already feeling woozy, the music pumped loudly in her ears. She took an uneasy step forward and giggled. Arkin grabbed her arm to steady her and she beamed back at him “Clearly, I’m not used to this anymore.” He smirked at her and they made their way towards a booth. They scooted in, Adrian and Keaira came to join them. Lola sat on the edge of the booth so that she could hug and greet all those who came to welcome her home. Her words began to slur as the minutes ticked on. Her sight was hazy but she felt perky and energetic. A butler came by and set a tray of fairy dust down on the table. Lola passed it to Arkin who was sitting next to her. Arkin gave her a look and handed it back. Lola hesitated, she was already so blitzed from slap and the alcohol. Arkin nudged her arm with his elbow, she rolled her eyes and leaned her head down. Arkin took a hold of her hair as she snorted a line. She craned her neck back, she closed her eyes and gave her head a shake taking in the sweet pleasure. Arkin took the tray from her and everyone at the table followed suit, each snorting a line of dust.

The effects of the fairy dust were almost immediate. Lola felt completely wired and she started talking excitedly unable to control her mouth as she spoke. Everyone else was in a similar state, laughing along and talking hyperly. Lola bounced up and down in her seat, her pupils completely dilated. She tuned into Arkin who spoke in energetic excitement when a butler came by to drop off more alcoholic beverages.
“And these girls were just threatening Lola. I mean all three of them were psychotic. Lola’s just standing there giving them this face.” Arkin mimicked Lola’s unimpressed expression, he resembled her considerably. “She waves her hand and just fucking extracts theirs soul and tosses them to me. Their bodies fall limp, she just glances over at me and goes ‘Did you know fairies have jealousy issues’ Classic.”
Lola laughed “Oh come on Ark, you wanna tell a soul sucking story I got a better one for you." Lola took her Dwarven beer and chugged about half of it. She hiccuped setting the glass down and continued "Okay so get this, Arkin and I are like what, one-twenty-three and one-twenty-six? Anyways, we snuck into Immortuos, the Realm of the Undead, highly forbidden. We’re at this bar, absolutely fucking ripped. This guy comes up to me, says he recognizes me from a different realm. Tries this whole sweet talking, clearly wants to take me home. I say no, he starts to get aggressive. I turn off my allure and he keeps trying to pursue me. I keep telling him to fuck off. Finally, Arkin who was off flirting with some barmaid swings by. He’s slurring his words telling this guy to piss off or else he’ll smash his face. This guy scoffs and starts threatening Arkin, then he proceeds to grab my arm and pulls me towards him. No hesitation, Arkin just grabs this guy by the back of the head and smashes his face into the counter. A bar fight breaks out, over a dozen people get involved. End result, Arkin and I extracted-
“Three hundred souls!”
“Don’t exaggerate, it was fifty-two”
Arkin laughed “Completely illegal nonetheless” he noted and kissed her on the cheek.
Lola giggled and sipped her Dwarven beer “Remember the beating we got?”
Arkin groaned “Man, my dad was so pissed at us for going to that realm!”
“And the mess we caused”
“We were tortured for a month after that. On top of it all, he had to sign a peace treaty with the king of the realm. Lola and I were banned from visiting until we were five hundred.”
“How did you guys even extract the souls if neither of you were Hunters” Adrian asked skeptically.
Lola lifted a brow and replied as if the answer was obvious “How do you think we got in the realm? We stole one of the gems.”
“You didn’t go with them?” Keaira nudged Tien.
“Nah, Tien used to tare up the realms with us but Ariel was too good of an influence on him!”
“That, and I didn’t care for the beatings” he chuckled and took a large drag of slap.

Lola leaned over Arkin and grabbed the stick from Tien and took a puff. Arkin settled his arm around Lola and a butler came by with another set of shots. Arkin grabbed one off the tray and casually dropped it between Lola's breasts. “Mind your manners, love.” He grabbed the glass with his mouth and threw his head back as he downed it. He slammed the glass on the table “Never” he grinned and kissed her hard on the lips. Lola leaned back in attempt to break free, the upper half of her body completely off the booth. Arkin leaned with her keeping a firm hold on the small of her back. She placed a hand on his torso and awkwardly turned her head. "Arkin" she mumbled and nudged. He hovered above her and crooked his brow as he noted her discomfort. They sat up and Lola recomposed herself. She exchanged a look with Tien, she knew all too well that he was reading her anguished mind. She turned away slightly, she shifted her gaze towards the party and took a sip of her beer. Arkin moved his hand and intertwined his fingers with hers, Lola glanced over at him. Her mouth twitched slightly as they locked eyes, through the haze of drugs she felt uneasy.

A flash of memories filtered in her mind.
At first it was a simple yet blissful image, Forrest taking her hand and kissing the back of it.
Then she saw herself propped up naked on top of Forrest, grinning at him and he at her. She leaned forward and touched the tip of his nose with her own “I could stay here forever” she whispered.
Another, they sat in his shower, his arm around her as they cuddled close. The ceiling of the shower was all rain jets which gently soaked them. Lola leaned closer into him and closed her eyes, she indulged in his comfort.

Arkin grimaced when her face became grieved and she jolted into him, another slit on her back. She could feel him exasperate as he averted his gaze, sipped his drink and looked away.
The room had become warped, the mixture of drugs gave Lola a weightless feeling. A butler came by and placed another tray of fairy dust in front of her. She snuffed up a line without hesitation to wash away her sorrowed discomfort. A sudden pulse of adrenaline and rush of excitement tickled her veins. Numerous friends filtered by to give her a hug and welcome her home. It was in that moment that she realized how lonely she had been, how much she had longed. The thought of Forrest crept up again, of course a large gash exploded on her back. He had fulfilled the loneliness, with him she didn’t need the drugs, the false love or the hundreds of familiar faces. Just him, that was enough. The high he gave her was something incomparable to the substances of Tenebris and to the way she felt about anything, really. Though in this moment she was content and hyper, it was unnatural. Admittedly, she felt lost and hollow. Through her plastered state she smiled, she buried the ache in her chest as she accepted her former reality, this world was not what it used to be. For the comfort of home was no longer enough, her world ultimately felt like nothing without him.

---

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Dialog: #000066
Location: SW Tenebris

Jason shoved his hands in his pockets and groaned. The shredded pants he wore, which were his only article of clothing, were empty. He had left his cigarettes in his jacket pocket of his suit, he grimaced “Yea, I don’t have any.”

There was a loud crash above and Jason craned his neck towards the sky. The black clouds from the mountains had crept overhead and suddenly they were rained on by lime colored drops. One landed on his cheek and sizzled. Jason clasped a hand over his face “Mother fucker.” His skin tore beneath his palm, he retracted it and observed; His hand had also burned from wiping the drop.
”Get to the trees!” Forrest urged. Another splatter landed on his bare shoulder and ate away at his skin. Black blood boiled on the spot and he began to hurry. He felt Forrest shove him ahead as he strided quickly for shelter. “Fucksakes, Forrest, I’m going!”
He plopped down under a tree and grimaced, the clouds literally dissipated the moment they took cover. Forrest ran to his side and concerningly observed him. Jason shoved him by his shoulder, he felt uncomfortable by his closeness “I’m good, I’m good” he reassured. He brushed a hand through his hair and cursed under his breath. He observed his shoulder, there was a large gash covered by hardened blood. It healed but very slowly, he grunted, his face probably didn’t look much better. He gave Forrest an uneasy look and grimaced.

“You realize we have to solve this ludicrous prophecy-crap now, right? We can’t just leave when we’re already here. This thing was delivered to us by mother! That alone should make you want to figure out what the hell is going on here. I want to know why the fuck it suggests us in this thing and what exactly all of this means. The part about the world with new magic? Clearly it was implying this deranged realm.”
Jason’s face became skeptical as he pierced his eyes at his brother “Forrest, as far as I’m concerned, that wasn’t mom, okay? That was some sort of bullshit illusion from the realm to drag us in here. Clearly they’re trying to mess with our heads and obviously it-” He broke off when a group of hybrid snake-rabbits bounced from behind a set of trees. Jason met Forrest’s uneasy gaze and tensed up as the creatures approached. He slowly stood as Forrest did and watched when his brother attempted to conjure his fire. He braced himself but the result left Forrest looking slightly foolish. He wanted to snicker at his struggle, but he was overwhelmed with a feeling of concern.
Forrest then proceeded to pursue his shadow manipulation, Jason watched him carefully and grimaced when the result was the same. He opened his palm and concentrated in attempt to conjure his own fire or even lightning but neither presented itself.
He felt slightly panicked and clenched his fist at the horrid realization. He was not only stuck in this realm but he didn’t have his magic either. He peered over at Forrest when he whispered ”It looks like we’re powerless here….. Are we mortal?”
Jason dropped his hands and furrowed his brows. He gave his head a shake and mumbled “Fucksakes. We’re so fucked.” He brushed a hand through his hair, he was peeved and concluded “There is no prophecy, they brought us here to kill us.”

Jason crossed his arms and observed the hybrids. They had broken out into a fight amongst themselves. He scoffed at the ridiculousness, but he was quick to follow Forrest’s actions when he started up a tree. He climbed up the black Oak closes to him, continuing until there was a break in the trees and he could see the realm. He sat with his back to the trunk and dangled one leg over the edge of the branch as he observed in silence at the mournful world.
A crow soared in front of him and landed on the tip of the branch. Jason lifted a single brow “I don’t suppose you open a portal?” The bird squawked at him, it inched closer, tilting its head in odd curiosity before it fled. Jason grunted and leaned his head back against the trunk and watched the stars. He couldn’t understand how there were residents in the realm. Never had he been one for emotions but this realm seemed to amplify all that he had suppressed. His heart ached for matters that he usually brushed off. He sighed in irritation and closed his eyes, he longed to wake up in his room when he opened them again.

A couple hours passed and the sound of rustling below had Jason open his eyes. He grumbled to himself at the realization that he was still in Tenebris. He glanced over, he lost balance and slid off the branch. He caught himself with one arm and dangled for a moment “holy fuck.” . His heart raced in panic, he swung his other arm to grab hold of the branch. He pulled himself up and sat with both his legs dangling on one side. He caught his breath after a moment and peeked through the clearing, he could make out two individuals; one had white hair with grey streaks, he carried a body on his shoulder. The other was dragging an unconscious werewolf, he could see the red hair so vividly. He sighed irritably and shook his head, he recognized the duo almost immediately. He thought it best to stay in place, the last thing he wanted was to get captured. He refocused his attention to the Tenebris stars and waited patiently for Forrest to wake up.

When he saw Forrest descend, Jason did the same. He landed on the balls of his feet next to his brother. His legs bent awkwardly and he winced, his body could no longer handle falling from such heights. He grimaced, he hated feeling weak.
Forrest spoke in odd excitement ”Jason, I just remembered something really important that could be a clue!”
Jason crooked his brow and crossed his arms “Oh wonderful, what is it Shaggy?” he responded sarcastically. Then he could hear Tien speaking so clearly in the distance “Demons be damned, Demons be saved. Black wings of their own, their bloodline gave.” Jason scoffed and glanced over at Forrest, “Is everyone here crazy?” He huffed and was about to ask a sarcastic question but Forrest’s eyes darted off when Lola responded. “Forrest” he said calmly “Think carefully.” But his concern was ineffective, his brother had already bolted towards the redhead. Jason groaned “Yeah okay, great idea Forrest! Fucksakes.” He shook his head and brushed a hand through his hair “Yup, follow her all you want. Go to the castle. Fantastic idea.” He continued ranting as if Forrest was still standing in front of him “Let’s solve this riddle Jace, oh shit wait a second is that Lola. Holy hell it’s almost as if she lives in this fucking realm. No kidding, who would have thought. Yeah well you can go after that lunatic and I’m going to go, in this direction! Far away from their bullshit. So have fun, Demon! Fucksakes.” He began walking north, he shoved his hands in his pockets and grumbled to himself in frustration. He craved a cigarette more than anything, the addiction was gnawing at him.

He wandered through the forest for a while until he came across a clearing. The opening looked upon a field of black lily’s. He stared at the landscape, the smell was intoxicating and inviting. He crouched down and analyzed one of the flowers, although colorless it was magnificent. “Huh” he mumbled and picked the flower, it dripped with black goop as he grazed it with his finger. A large grin appeared on his face when he noted that this plant was slap. He had seen all the Hunter’s smoking a black stick, for each visit, Lola was rarely without. He recalls seeing the shift in her mood, from glum to unnaturally elated. He had heard much about this drug, the residents of Tenebris were notorious for using it. He knew of ways to consume the flower, from smoking, to injection, to drops and to eating. Jason glanced around at his surroundings What’s the worse that could happen? he thought. He stuck the flower in his mouth and chewed; The taste was surprising, a mixture of his two favorite flavors, chocolate and coffee cake. He swallowed the substance and felt as though the liquid was sticking to his throat. He coughed in his hand and black ooze painted his palm. He winced and swallowed again uneasily. He stared at the ground ahead for a long moment until the discomfort eased. He glanced around at his surroundings, he let out a heavy sigh and began wandering through the field. He walked until he was in the middle of the area and lied down in the bed of flowers with his arms behind his head. He gazed up at the Tenebris stars in awe awaiting for the effects of slap to take over.

At first it felt odd, his body became immobile but ultimately he felt weightless. The sorrowed burden seemed to clear its shade as the minutes ticked on. There was a tingle in his finger tips and suddenly the realm seemed much brighter. The stars more vivid, the purple sky radiating in beauty. It was as though he could hear everything, from silent whispers creeping from the forest behind him to the roar of a crowd having the time of their life. His eyes became glazed, the blue turning a darker shade until they became black. He suddenly remembered his happiest moments and for the first time in his life he was encompassed by euphoria. He saw him and his brother reuniting after a hundred years apart at Woodstock. The vision so vivid in his mind, it was in that moment that all the burden and hardships seemed to vanish, being reunited with his blood. They drank, they snorted fairy dust and wooed all sorts of women. They partied and bonded like never before, both having emerged from dark places it was odd that they were so at ease. No matter the hardships, it was as though fate was finally smiling upon them. He recalls sharing a joint, he and Forrest laughed for hours catching up and sharing stories of their adventures. Jason started to chuckle at the memory, a blissful unnatural high taking over his body. He slowly sat up, finding energy in his bones. He glanced around, the flowers were vivid in color, shades of blue, purple, green and pink. He picked one and analyzed it curiously. He glanced back at the forest, the trees were a bright evergreen, the realm seemed so colorful and alive. The warm breeze was comforting and he felt infinite.

Maybe time stood still or maybe it zoomed by, he couldn’t tell for it seemed irrelevant. He felt at ease and his vision was hazy. The world around him seemed to pulse, he admired in blissful silence. But there was a break in the calm when a whisper said his name. He glanced around in mild confusion, the wind called in a familiar voice. He rested on his palms, listening intently as he waited to hear it again. Minutes passed of continued silence, he was sure it had been a hallucination. He lied back in the flowers, only to bolt upright once more when his name was once again called. He pierced his eyes, searching. His name was being repeated, it was sorrowed and there was a hint of betrayal. He slowly got to his feet and glanced around. He felt woozy and brushed a hand through his hair trying to shake off the delusion, though the voice grew louder. He felt like he was dreaming and part of him screamed to break free but he couldn’t wake up. Then, in the distance he could make out a silhouette, walking at a steady pace but quickly approaching. A whip shot before his eyes and wrapped around his leg. He was thrown into the air, he flew across the field and slammed onto the ground. He stared up at the Tenebris sky breathing heavily. Dark clouds formed above, a sudden crash of thunder and bolts of lightning targeted him. He rolled a few times dodging each blow but the last strike nicked his right leg. He jolted and let out a breath of torment. He uneasily shuffled to his feet and put his weight on his left leg. His eyes were wide as he searched for the individual who was attacking him. Then, from behind, the whip wrapped around his torso and threw him to the ground. “Come on” he shouted, his blood pumped with fury. He jumped on the balls of his feet, his leg bent forward awkwardly, he had already forgotten about the electrocution. He gave his head a shake in disbelief, he couldn’t brush off the dreamlike daze despite his adrenaline pumping. Out of nowhere the black whip was heading right for him. He caught it with his hand and wrapped it around his arm, he felt a tug but pulled with great force. The tension of the whip eased but only for a moment. A strong pull and his shoulder was dislocated. He fell forward onto the ground and let out an agonized cry. He propped himself up on his one arm, his heart raced heavily as black sweat beads formed on his forehead. A sudden kick to his ribcage and he was flat on his back. The moon became shadowed as a familiar creature looked down on him. He questioned his reality, her presence was impossible. Ariel grimaced at him, her face became stern and she took a step back. “Get up” she commanded.