Drakians (Telios & DawnAntalios)

[DawnAntalios]

When they reached a decent distance from the town she stopped and looked at him. It took her few moments to start speaking.


" Punos has a title, one that is quite appropriate: the Soul Flayer. When he... induced his curse upon me my very soul and mind got scarred. You might feel it a little bit, since you have a portion of it inside of you but... well, I better just show you. "


She looked in the distance, gathering power. In the next moment the air started to darken as purple thunders crackled from it. Zoe's eyes started to glow with purple flames: one that she also had while being possessed and she levitated in the air. harnessing the power of the dark thunders she unleashed a devastating and malevolent force of destruction on the nearby earth. When the storm vanished everything in the impact point died, withered away and small purple glows headed towards the girl. She absorbed them all then - ceasing the spell - she landed and looked at Vane.


" He had reformed me to his image, Vane. " she said " His very essence is mine now as well. He called me Reaper, for I can also harvest the souls of the fallen and... well, restore other's souls with that power... that is what found in his memories. "

 

[Telios]

"That's why I have been somewhat unnerved when I got bound to your soul..." Vane said, seemingly unfazed by the transformation. "And you are saying that you'll restore my soul with your 'new found powers'?" He asked, looking up at her with his brown and dull grey eyes.

 

[DawnAntalios]

She nodded.


" Yes. " she said but was a bit uncertain about how to explain it " We are Drakians, so it will be a much more difficult task. It will require many souls before I can fully restore even one of us - especially because I do not intend to harvest them like Punos does. "


Her knuckles tightened into a fist.


" But if the brain washed knights opposes us like I think they will then we will have plenty of souls to harvest... "


She was surprised how easily did she consider this option. The blood lust and the eagerness to harvest the very essence of living beings frightened her.

 

[Telios]

Vane was a bit unnerved. "We might need to help you to try and contain Punos' essence in you..." He advised, hugging her close to him. He began to felt a mild headache as something tried to get control over him.

 

[DawnAntalios]

" Allow me. " she said placing her hands on his head, her eyes flaring once more. She had quickly found the source of corruption and she siphoned out from his mind. Quickly trapping it in an energy sphere she pressed it together with her hands closer and closer until it disappeared with an angry squeeky voice.


" Tell me if he ever tries to take over you again. " she said with a sly smile " I have learnt how to deal with his mind tricks... at least the torture was good for that one thing. "

 

[Telios]

"Thanks..." Vane smiled, kissing his mate's cheek. "I don't think I could have find a way to get out of that spell... I might have been a servant for Punos'." He sighed with a smile,

 

[DawnAntalios]

She shook her head, blushing from the kiss.


" You would have found a way, Vane. " she said with confidence. " You are strong willed and brave, he can never make you a servant. "


She looked down on her clawed hands, bathing in purple flames and got sad.


" I do not even know what I am anymore. I am no human, no dragon... I am once again belong to nowhere. "

 

[Telios]

"You are my mate. And you belong to Victoria, to me." Vane reassured her, hugging her close. "It's getting late. So what about we head back to my house and get some sleep?"

 

[DawnAntalios]

She looked at him gratefully as they slowly headed back to Victoria to get some sleep.


But Zoe could not sleep that night. She waited until Vane and his parents fall asleep then sneaked out from the house once more, leaving a note behind for her mate not to worry about her, because he will return soon to him. She wandered aimlessly in the outskirts of the city before she decided to take flight and flew around Victoria. She knew that Punos did not get the information he sought - he could not extract the information from her mind - but she knew that she must prepare the attack of the Soul Flayer soon. To that end it was important for her to learn how to harness her new powers if they wanted to win the impending war.


She finally landed near the mountains she visited few days ago. She sat down on the highest perch of the mountain, looking at the stars. Even though Vane said he accepted and loved her she still felt... sorrow within her. It was unexplainable, something which just gnawed at her constantly.

 

[Telios]

Vane felt uncomfortable as he tossed and turned while he slept, something just bugging him. He woke up with a sigh, looking over to his side to see that Zoe left. He spotted a note on the nightstand and read it. So where are you? He asked her telepathically. Being soulbound enabled them to comunicate telepathically wherever they are, and feel what the other one's feel.

 

[DawnAntalios]

" In the mountains, in seclusion. " - came the answer from Zoe as she continued watching the stars."


" I am sorry to have waken you, I have forgotten that we are bound and my burden is also yours. " she sighed as she looked at the dark horizon, her superb night vision granting her perfect omnisense. She observed the peaceful land, everything sleeping soundly, steadily.


How easy it would be to harvest their souls now...


She backed away, horrified at her nefarious thoughts. She could not suppress the dark urge completely yet and the occasional thoughts made she shiver.

 

[Telios]

Are you alright? I can come out there if you wanted me to. Vane asked, himself wanting to go there to stay with Zoe. But he knew that she should have some peace and quiet for herself. I can bring over anything you wanted. Just tell me and I'll do it.

 

[DawnAntalios]

" I... am fine. " she said after a few moments of hesitation. She wanted to hide this urge from Vane if she could. He worried about her anyway, he did not need to know about this as well to bother him. " I was just not able to sleep, but you should be able now. Rest easy and I shall return by the morning, I promise. "

 

[Telios]

"...Don't try to hide from me..." Vane sighed, able to sense that she was hiding something. "Can you tell me? I'm coming out over to you." He sat up and went downstairs, heading to the town's gate.

 

[DawnAntalios]

She sighed in resignation.


" I am fine, really. " she tried to calm him down although she knew that it was a futile effort. " You have been through too much, you should take a rest, I don't... "


A sudden headache interrupted her communication. She writhed in pain for a moment then it vanished. She now understood the plight Punos has put on her soul. Her power was enormous and great but it needed sustenance.


It needed souls.


" I must go, please stay at home. " she said as she took flight quickly. She had to find a secluded place of wild animals to ease her hunger... he must not know about this, not yet...

 

[Telios]

Vane winced as he felt pain going through his head. Souls...feed... A strange voice told him and he looked around him. "W-What... The..." He panted, easing down as the pain passed. He sat onto the grass outside of the town, suddenly drained of energy.

 

[DawnAntalios]

Relieved, Zoe found a pack of stags not too far from the mountain. Saddened that she must do this she hunted down one of them and siphoned its soul, consuming it entirely. She now felt at ease and rejuvenated... a horrifying experience. Fortunately it seemed that her ravenous hunger only required a sacrifice every couple of days rather than regularly - still a monstrous thing to do.


She stood above the lifeless corpse of the stag and wept. She had truly become the monster Punos told her she was.

 

[Telios]

Vane frowned as he slowly got up, still stumbling from being drained of his energy. He changed into his dragon form, flying to where he thought Zoe was at. He soon spotted her and landed nearby, changing back once he was on the ground.

 

[DawnAntalios]

Even though he landed next to her Zoe did not notice Vane so deep was her sorrow. She stared at the murdered animal, not knowing what to do. First she thought to pray for the soul of the creature to go to a better place - until she realized she consumed it. Killing a living being was one thing... but utterly annihilating it was an another.


It was not even the act which disgusted her the most... but rather the satisfied feeling that followed it. How could she relish in such an unholy deed?

 

[Telios]

Vane frowned as he slowly walked over to her, gently placing a hand onto her shoulder. He noticed the soulless deer but he said nothing, lowering himself to get near to Zoe and hugged her close.

 

[DawnAntalios]

" He is right, Vane. " she said silently " I am a monster. Just like he is. How can he live with this... burden I know not. Butchering the well being of other sentient beings, draining their very essence. "


She sat down on the ground, wiping away her tears.


" I wish I had died when you broke the mind control over me. I wish you had left me in the dark void to suffer. "

 

[Telios]

"Zoe... I can't. I can't bear to live without you." Vane replied sadly, couldn't even imagine how it would feel like. "I can't let anyone control you or make you suffer. You might not feel like it, but you are loved."

 

[DawnAntalios]

She looked at him with a bittersweet smile.


" I know, Vane, and that makes me puzzled. " she said and sighed " And that makes me even sadder. You have chosen me... over a hundred other, normal Drakian. Me, who was not even a dragon a short while ago... and one who is now a soul glutton, hunting down essences of living beings. "


She allowed a little chuckle to leave her mouth.


" I don't think that it was your wisest decision. " she said with a faint smile.

 

[Telios]

"But I'm content with the choice I made." Vane answered with a warm smile, brushing a hand through her hand gently to ease her. "I don't think I'll get someone else like you. And only you made me so happy."

 

[DawnAntalios]

She sighed and smiled at him. Leaving behind the corpse of the stag she stood up.


" Well, I think I made you worry enough for today as well. " she said " Let us head back home and get you some sleep. I will tend to breakfast once we arrive. "


She then transformed into her dragon form and lifted off.