A Pact With The Most Wicked

[Fluffyscrublord]

Watching these two was possible the most amusing part of her day, but not enough to make up for the moment she was almost eaten by a giant Darkspawn. However, it did bring a bring back her curiosity on the topic of other pacts that Aedan has made with other mortals. One in particular that sent Aedan in quite a fury, but Duke Alart seemed quite smitten with the while display of it. Though she did find a bit amusing that they almost talked as if she weren’t there. Not that she mind, it just made the situation more amusing.


Duke Alart or Grife (his true name as only Aedan simply knew him by) stood up from his soft seat with a bit of a groan and started for a cabinet in the room, “Arrrggh, I always thought that weapon needed a better name.” He coughed again, wiping the black blood from the corner of his lips. He opened the cabinet and started to pull another bottle of spirit as well as a glass, “Seems soooo…” He waved a hand around, looking up in though, “Depressing...Like a nickname to your dying horse.” He shrugged and poured himself a glass. He picked it up and took a sip of his alcohol as he leaned against the cabinet. He gave Aedan a coy look as he drank, “Well, I suggest you sit down.” He shrugged and pointed to a seat, “You aren’t going to like my answer…” He started to walk to his chair and then sat on it, almost spilling a bit of the drink on himself and chuckled to himself. He then looked at Aedan with the straightest face he could muster before he shrugged and said, “I don’t bloody well know.” He shrugged, waved a hand and took another slip of a drink.


Eravati’s lips twitched, pressing her lips together and looking away.


Before Grife could earn Aedan’s wrath, the man held his one free hand out and waved it, “Now hear me out! It isn’t like I tried. OH! I tried,” He shook his fat head and frowned, “The. Hell. I. Did.” He pounded his first onto the arm of his chair with each word, “But that Aurora is a sly creature.” He leaned in and loudly whispered, “You know what she did?! Well…” He leaned back, “I’ll tell you...The first thing she did was prance around after the war was over and held that thing up as her little trophy. I mean….It was a symbol of your defeat. Everyone was cheering and what not...Apparently there were a BUNCH of parties. People went crazy. They ate a lot. They drank a lot. Can you imagine the babies that you were conceived on the day you were finally defeated?!” He cleared his throat and wiggled his eyebrows at Aedan to let him ponder on that, “Anyways, she had that thing lock up tighter than a chastity belt on some gorgeous maiden. Now, she had it locked up in the Kingdom of Minyth for as you know that was the first Kingdom to join her in the war against...well you. And she had the complete balls to show off that thing on the exact time and date you were defeated. Of course, once the king died, it was rumored that the weapon was buried with him in his vault. Strangely enough year and years after, we are talking about a decade, the tombs were growing some infestation of some time and they were removed. Now, that is when people said the weapon was...misplaced. Other say that this was some blatant political lie and put into the Grand Church of in new capital of the kingdom which is was then Havisa. Now the Kingdom of Minyth is now gone…” He whispered loudly against, “Royal family quarrel and financial crisis. A new kingdom was formed after a bit some civil war. As a gift for their aid, the new Kingdom of Avilina had given gifts to the Tsui Dynasty to a new country that was formed called Zuunshir. Of course, there is another rumor that a barbaric tribe in the north east holds a dark weapon. Then that a son of a high court councilor managed to find an ancient weapon from the west in the Vrutish Empire. Pick your favorite, Aedan.”


“Pardon, Duke.” Eravati spoke up and looked to Aedan, “If you wish for this to be our first task, I can make arrangements to do so. Along with the Duke’s help, I am sure we can find your valued weapon.”


Grife leaned in towards Aedan and whispered, “I love how she calls me Duke...But frankly, you got yourself quite the little catch there. That one has money.” He leaned back, clearing his throat yet again with a big grin on his face, “Certainly, my sweet. Now, I suggest you both figure out where you want to go and get ready to leave soon. Like I said, you won’t be safe here. People will be asking about me and so on. You are welcomed for a day. Ah...Will you need a bit help adjusting to you the bright weather outside, my lord?” His grin turned devious towards Aedan as he did have a solution, but he found it quite fun to poke Aedan on. It was very possible that his solution may humiliate the once great Lord of Darkness or just be overly complicated just to annoy him when there was possibly a simple solution.

 

[Church418]

"So," Aedan replied, looking at Gifre. "The pressure in my chest, ringing in my ears. I was correct about that? It is the Light after all?"


Gifre laughed and clapped his hands together, loud enough so that his two doormen posted outside could hear. The doors swung open and the human's stood at ridged attention, awaiting orders. "My keys!" Gifre demanded. Without hesitating, the doorman closest to Gifre snapped a ring of keys from his pocket, and made his way over to Gifre, dropping them into his palm. "That will be all." Gifre said, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. At that, the doormen bowed and promptly exited the room. Gifre stood, smiled, and motioned Aedan toward a small doorway at the far end of the conference room, latched with bolts and chains. He began unlocking each lock, one by one, speaking as he worked. "Do you recall, Aedan, the lab beneath Knightadale that you used for your experiments?"


"Naturally." Aedan replied sarcastically. "It was only the single largest operation in all the known world at the time."


Gifre chuckled at Aedan's sarcasm, nodding his head in approval. "And do you remember what you were searching for in those experiments?"


Aedan's eyes narrowed at Gifre as he fumbled with a stubborn latch that refused to let go of the door. "Yes." Aedan replied matter-of-factly. "And I was the only that knew."


Gifre shook his head and wagged his finger at Aedan. "Was the only one who knew."


Aedan took a step forward and glared at Gifre. "Explain." Aedan said slowly, gritting his teeth.


"Your labs were ransacked for over a year after your defeat." Gifre began. "Mostly, your experiments were considered vile and inhumane, and tossed out. However one note of your research, in particular, caught Aurora's attention..." The door finally opened revealing a pitch black room. Gifre drew a match, ignited it, and placed it into a nearby lantern. Along the wall, throughout the room, Aedan noticed the other lanterns were connected with a line of oil. The fire burned bright and spread along the wall, making the room visible. "She came, kicking down the door's of my fine home, with a book in her hand..." Gifre continued, making his way to a bookshelf and filing through it's contents. "Ah here we go." Gifre plucked a book from the shelf and turned the pages to one in particular.


Aedan recognized the book immediately, and knew immediately how the rest of this story would go. "She wanted you to translate the pages?" Aedan queried, finishing the story. "And DID you?" Aedan growled.


Gifre took and exaggerated step back, an aghast look about his face. "My Lord!" he said, placing a hand over his heart. "Now who on earth do you take me for?" Gifre handed Aedan the book, to the page that Aurora wanted translated. "Oh I recognized that old, dead, dark language immediately, but I feigned ignorance. Especially after seeing what you were up to." Gifre took a step towards Aedan and pointed. "I give you credit, I wouldn't have thought to pursue such a clever idea."


Aedan took the book and read the page. "My studies on..." Aedan lowered the book and looked Gifre in the eyes. "The Grey." He finished.


Gifre's eyes darkened and a wide smile took over his face. "A poison, designed to corrupt the Light in Affinities." Gifre looked over to Eravati, who appeared to be studying their interaction. "You human's could compare it to..." Gifre looked up, in thought. "All of the blood in your body, being slowly infected with an incurable disease."


Aedan shut the book so that it made a noise. "And now, SHE knows." he growled, throwing the book at Gifre who laughed as he caught it.


"Aedan, this female has already sacrificed her life for you. Today, a pact with a Dark Affinity is punishable by crucifixion. She is bound to you as much as you are to her."


Aedan paced about the room, frowning. "Yes, don't remind me." Aedan took note of the dust that littered...well....everything. Gifre hadn't been in here in quite some time. Losing patience, Aedan turned and glared at Gifre. "And the point of this? What does this have to do with the Light assaulting my mind outside of Bravebare?"


Gifre smiled and placed the book back upon the shelf. "Ah yes." he replied. "I regret to inform you that I, also, was unsuccessful in brewing this poison." he continued, pointing to an alchemy station on the other end of the room. "Granted, I didn't have thousands of screaming human's to test my theories on." Gifre approached the far side of the room, removed a painted that dominated the wall, revealing a large wall safe with no visible means of opening it. "However, after I felt the Light pressing down on my soul, I decided to focus my efforts on a new goal."


Gifre's eyes darkened as he began chanting to words of a dark, dead language.


"Open, to the voice, of the dark, and the old."


"Reveal, what you hide, by the order, of the bold."





The safe slid open and revealed a rack of 30 vials filled with liquid, each different shades of grey. Gifre retrieved the rack and placed it on the table in front of them. "You must consume each of these, in order, for a month." Gifre said motioned from the top to the bottom. "It will be painful, it will make you weak, and the Darkness will abandon you, for a time."


Aedan fought the urge to flip the table and walk out of the room. "Bullshit! What manner of fool are you, Gifre?" Aedan demanded, glaring at him. "You would have me prance about a world of Light, sapped of my powers?"


"For. A. Time." Gifre repeated, slower this time. "And during your immunity process, the Light will avoid you, leaving you undetectable." Gifre observed Aedan as he paced about the room, fuming. "There is no other way, My Lord. Time will not relieve this problem."


"And after I consume the final vial?" Aedan asked, angrily.


Gifre's eyes lit up. "Well, that is when you will appreciate my true genius!" He responded, clapping. "You will be forever shielded from the spell Aurora and her council cast over these lands, made to immobilize and detect and Dark entity prancing about their world. You are lucky, actually, that you were not detected after your episode." Gifre approached Aedan and placed his hand on his shoulder. "But rejoice, my Lord, for your efforts in creating The Grey were not in vain. Without your research, we would've surely all been doomed. And I do believe that the Grey can be used as the weapon you envisioned....in time." Gifre concluded.


Aedan grabbed the first vial in the rack and observed the contents within. He didn't have much of a choice. Aedan couldn't risk getting entangled in fight with the Light only for that spell to squeeze his chest and scream in his ears. Aedan brought vial to his lips and downed it's contents with a single gulp.


Gifre looked at Eravati with a look of concern, and anticipation. "You might want to get him a chair....and a bucket."

 

[Fluffyscrublord]

Eravati dashed to find something for Aedan before he proceeded to vomit all over the floor. She looked about the lab, not giving a second thought to what was in the lab. Grife called out where to look, pointing to the small closet door with some sanitary supplies. She quickly opened it and pulled it out, dashing back to put the bucket before Aedan. She then moved to find a chair that Grife pointed to as he coughed out some blood. The young woman made her way to drag onto Aedan, guiding him on it as he started to put his face into the bucket. Her hand moved, brushing lightly his back to soothe him, but pulled back. It was not because of who he was, but more of the assumption that he probably hiss at her later for giving him sort of sympathy or pity as she imagine he call it.


Eravati stepped back and felt Duke Alart close. She blinked, jumping slightly as she felt him beside her.


He chuckled, “Quite a sight.” He teased.


Eravati blinked at him again, staring at him in thought. She straightened her back and looked ahead, “A bit inspiring.”


Of course, the Duke laughed, “Don’t mistake this as courage. It is mostly spite.”


“I am sure…” Eravati said slowly, “I suppose he will be weak now. This means we are now both vulnerable.”


“You don’t give him enough credit. He has great ambition…I see both of your doubt each other abilities. I know despite this, you mind is thinking of clever ideas.” Grife chuckled and coughed again, staring at the young woman with hungry eyes, “You remind me of someone, but you are…very different. I am interested how long you will last with our Lord.”


Eravati did not look at Grife directly. She kept her eyes ahead, “We will have to see how long your Lord will last in this new world. If not, then all my efforts will be for nothing.”


“Ooooh~” Grife sang, “I think you will make sure he gets accustomed to things very quickly.” He watched the girl, knowing full well that girl was already thinking of ways to tackle the situation they were now in. However, she had a kind heart and he knew Aedan will use that against her. He could have shown her how to get Aedan with the thought she get killed, but she insisted in saving the mortal that would be his new vessel. He was impressed by her determination and courage as well as her wit, but it was her heart that made her end up in a dangerous deal with him. He had lost, but he was more interested how Aedan will fair with her.


“My lord will be not fit for travel. I had prepared the rooms. I placed the mortal in one of the rooms. He was tried and well fed like I promised.” Grife put a hand over his chest and watched with a grin as Eravati’s brown eyes lit up at the mention of the one she saved, “You should help my Lord to his room.” He whispered down to her, “He’ll need the help, believe me.”


More Below

Eravati helped Aedan along towards their room as Aedan was getting more and more attached to that bucket. Even Eravati couldn’t help but cringe at the sounds that came out of the dark affinity. She was not sure how this would affect their travels, but it was only for a month. Hopefully, Aedan will last as long, but Duke Alart made it very clear that Aedan was not about to let this get past him. If they were caught before, Eravati would have failed and she knew the grave consequences that she would have to bare. Things have gotten more difficult with this pact. Who knew that stabbing oneself in the chest was the easiest part of this whole agreement?


Duke Alart’s servants opened the door to a room. It was large and lavish as one would expect Alart would want such things, but she noticed a small curled up figure on the bed and covered in the blanket.


“Oh, that is where we put him.” Duke Alart spoke with a careless air, “We’ll he can’t stay here.” The man cough into handkerchief that one of his servants provided him, wiping the dark blood from his lips. He sighed, “A waste...Well, I will have to use one of my back ups.” The man shrugged and waved off Eravati to guide Aedan to the bed.


Eravati ushered Aedan to the bed, letting him sit down. She felt one of the servant close and turned to see this one provided her with a new bucket. She took the one away from Aedan and gave him a new bucket to hold a brand new sort of bond. Eravati then swiftly took the small figure from bed in her arms. The young mortal was stirring in his sleep. Though once he felt Eravati’s body warmth, the boy threw up his skinny ebony arms around the young woman’s neck. Eravati almost cracked a smile, “You are heavier than you look.” She whispered and adjusted the young boy in her arms who just adjusted himself to her. Her eyes turned towards Aedan, “We should leave tomorrow. I will have everything prepared to leave early.” She paused for a moment as if unsure of what to say. She was not sure if he slept or needed to really, “Good night. Rest well.” She adjusted the boy in her arms and dashed of the room.


However, the boy in her arms managed to wake up, staring at Aedan with dark sleepy eyes. His eyes seemed to contract against the white of his eyes and his dark skin that hide well under the shadow of the blanket that covered him. There was a hint of something...strange about the boy.. A spark of something pure that hide well in his already innocent soul, but something dark just at the edge. It seemed the boy had already been a victim to the cruelty of this world.


“Good riddance.” Grife finally said as he motioned for his servants to leave, “That boy is strange. I thought he be a good candidate when I found him. I thought he was tainted, marked by something dark. However, that changed once I took him in and he meet that girl. She instantly took to him and she demanded a bargain for him. I lost interest in him as my new vessel. Whatever was afflicting him vanished and he disgustingly pure.” He shrugged it off, “Be sure to tell me of anything you need that may help you. I may be able to provide if not...some of my connects in the near future will help you.” He started off to leave the once Great Dark Lord to his thoughts...and his bucket.

 

[Church418]

The door to the room slammed shut and Aedan was left alone to suffer from dose of Grey he imbibed. It started with vomit. A thick black fluid oozing from his throat, propelled outward from his own body rejecting the foreign agent. Aedan felt the Grey creeping through his veins, random sharp pains erupting from his joints. Throughout the night, Aedan would lurch violently around the room, without a moment of respite.


Gifre and Eravati returned to his room in the morning to find absolute mayhem. The room had been destroyed. Black vomit covered the floor around his cold, sweaty body. For the first time ever, Aedan panted violently, wheezing for air as his lungs were exhausted from hours of trying to replenish oxygen, an issue he had never faced before. He felt.....human.


"Well.." Gifre began, scanning the room, a sarcastic look of concern etched on his face. "..the good news is, the Grey is working. The bad news.." Gifre looked down upon Aedan. "..well, you're already experiencing the bad news." Suddenly, Gifre's look of sarcasm was replaced with thought, as if he had just remembered something. "Actually.." Gifre a continued. "..there is more bad news, I'm afraid." Gifre unveiled Aedan's second dose of the Grey and placed it before his eyes, sloshing the contents about the vial. "Only 29 more to go!" he sang.


Aedan looked up at Gifre with crimson, bloodshot eyes. Darkness bleeding down his face like tears. He snatched the vial from Gifre's hand with shaky fingers, uncapped the lid, and forced the second dose down his throat. Aedan began dry heaving immediately, his body now empty of any Darkness to bleed. Aedan could feel their eyes on him as they watched him in this pitiful state. Anger filled his body as he envisioned them laughing. Gifre, Eravati.......Aurora...


Aedan slammed his fists on the ground, cracking the marble beneath and forcing himself onto his feet. His knees buckled and shook from exhaustion, but Aedan forced himself past Gifre and Eravati and out of the door. "We have work to do." Aedan said shakily. "Let's go!" he roared.


Gifre snickered and followed Aedan and Eravati to the door. The rest of Gifre's estate didn't look much better than Aedan's room. Human's passed out all over the floor, liquors and vomit spilled about the floor and tables . "Take heed my Lord." he said before Aedan was out of hearing range, passing the rack of vials to Eravati. "This immunity process will eventually make it's way to your mind and will possibly result in visions and hallucinations, keep yourself in check."


Aedan made his way to a cart that was already prepped for travel, collapsing inside and gripping his head. The Grey was burning his mind. Darkness continued to seep out of Aedan's eyes and was beginning to drip from his nose. Aedan did a double take as Eravati entered the wagon with a child wrapped in her arms. Aedan glared at the infant with crimson, bloodshot eyes. Darkness oozing down his face. Aedan lurched from a sharp pain that shot down his neck, but kept his eyes on the child. Aedan slowly looked up at Eravati, eyes boring into her's. "What. In the hell. Is that?" he demanded, nearly out of breath.

 

[Fluffyscrublord]

The morning the Duke’s servants opened the doors of Aedan’s room, Eravati feel a rise in her chest as she looked about the room. A tinge of panic was quelled by a deep breath in those nose and steady silent exhale from her lips. She watched the dark being rise and brushed past her to save his pride and she had to wonder if he would survive. And so, while in the carriage and holding a child in her arms, Eravati looked into Aedan’s eyes there was a hint of panic at looking at his frail state. Seeing him like this, it felt strange. She wondered if his enemies would enjoy this sight. Eravati could not say the same. Maybe, she was being too kind or too foolish. Her mind told her he no sooner kill her once he had the chance. However, she could not find a way to enjoy this. She took a deep breath through her nose and a silent one out of her mouth only to say, “This…” She adjusted the boy in her arms, bouncing him a bit and smiled, “This is Raza. Raza, this is my guardian.”


The boy in Eravati’s arms stared at Aedan in silence for a moment as he stared. He looked weak and a bit underweight. Judging from the clean white bandages around his chest, arms and legs stood out about his ebony skin, he was treated well. His dark coarse hair was recently trimmed short, but he looked a bit tired. He wearing no shirt and loose clean beige pants with a blue wrap around his torso, but had a necklace with round gemstone of white howlite. The necklace was big on him, but he clung with his right hand tightly while he studied Aedan’s face. He looked up at Eravati with confusion, “He’s sick, but I like his name. Did you name him or is that the name he gave himself?” He then looked at Aedan again, “Your guardian is sick. How will he protect you? How will he fight?” He then frowned looking at Aedan, “Did he help you defeat the Dark One? Did he...get hurt a lot?”


Before Eravati could speak, the boy wiggled out of her arms and moved closer to Aedan just enough for they are about a foot away, “I don’t know if my friend can help him. We were suppose to defeat the Dark One together, but that crazy man found me. ”


Eravati gave the boy a soft smile and looked at Aedan, “Raza will be joining us. Don’t worry, Raza. My guardian will get better. We have his medicine.” She pointed the gray vials in the corner of the cart, “Is there anything you need my guardian?” She began to push some colorful pillows towards Aedan’s way. She then leaned in and whispered, “Will getting that dark...ooze all over these nice sheets make you feel better? They are white. Be...less unpleasant than you usually are or just rest. ” She brought some folded sheets for him.


“Can I help?” Raza ask, continuing to stare at Aedan.


Eravati smiled, “Yes, bring in the bucket.”


Raza stepped out of the carriage carefully and then climbed back in said bucket. Eravati then called out in her own language to start the moving of the carriage, “If you really need us to stop Aedan, just speak. It will be a few days before we reach Glenarm. The town has distance itself from this place…”


“There are knights there with guardians.” Raza pointed out.


“Yes, the guild of Glenarm.” Eravati spoke in a thoughtful manner.