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Post by Val on Jan 31, 2020 1:33:29 GMT
Destrian approached the Midaford Mountains on horseback as the sun was beginning to dip below the peaks of the towering mountain range. However, there came a point in his journey where he dismounted the horse and was forced to continue on foot up the treacherous path toward his destination. He hadn't made the trek in years, since he was a teenager, and yet the directions were perfectly ingrained in his memory. Or, perhaps, it wasn't his memory at all, but rather the pull of his forgotten counterpart that led him.
Eventually, he stopped outside the mouth of a looming cave. A place so difficult to find, he doubted anyone but himself had ever stepped foot in it. It was dark by now, the only light coming from the moon itself, but that light wasn't nearly enough to illuminate the ominous darkness of the cave. The nerves and uncertainty he had felt during his voyage was suddenly gone. Rather, he had become uncannily focused and calm.
He moved forward slowly, one foot in front of the other, until he finally crossed the threshold of the cave. Darkness consumed him immediately and he kept walking until he had truly become a part of the shadows. He couldn't even see his own pale skin right in front of his face. He stilled suddenly and closed his eyes, willing his past to finally catch up with him. The silence was truly deafening.
"Cyra," he summoned her, feeling a chill run down his spine as the power of the dormant curse suddenly awoke.
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Post by starrea on Jan 31, 2020 2:07:40 GMT
Nothing, not even the wind, moved on the mountainside. The air was quiet for such a desolate place, absent of even the chirps of birds or buzz of insects. Creatures seemed to sense what lay trapped beneath the surface of the mountain and steered clear of the violent, angry energy. It had been that way for years. It had only been her.
But on that night, something changed. The wind whipped through the trees and something beneath the surface stirred. She could feel Destrian coming closer, coming back for her. Fresh, renewed anger consumed her and even though she didn’t know what he looked like anymore, she pictured her energy consuming him and ripping him a part. But she knew it was just a fantasy, one she would never live out.
His impending arrival gave gave her more energy than she had had in awhile. She stalked the caves that had imprisoned her, smashing into the walls and toppling boulders over. The caves used to have a much more extensive system, but she had collapsed most of them throughout the years.
And then she felt it - he had summoned her. She felt the familiar pull of the curse that forced her to him, but this time she was all too happy to oblige. She smashed her way through the tunnels, rocks toppling behind her as she burst into the main cave. And there stood Destrian. She imagined ramming right into him, lifting him high off the ground and slamming him back down. But the curse didn’t allow it and instead of running him down, she rose up around him. In front of him she presented herself, a tall, destructive tower of black smoke. She stayed that way for a moment before the smoke shrank down and slowly dissipated, leaving behind a dark skinned girl with dark hair and darker eyes.
“I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me. It’s very lonely up here.”
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Post by Val on Jan 31, 2020 2:42:22 GMT
Destrian's eyes shot open at the sound of the first toppling boulder. His pupils were so dilated his eyes might've appeared black, staring into the void as the racket of sounds approached him rapidly. He didn't so much as move, flinch, or even blink as the intimidating pillar of black smoke appeared before him. He knew the rules. She could not touch him, no matter how much she might've wanted to. He held all the power in their unfortunate partnership. And he could feel it now, coursing through him after so much time apart.
Finally, the smoke vanished and, with it, the absolute darkness. He could see her now; his eyes adjusted enough to lay eyes on the woman before him. She was different from the girl he remembered, but the memories still rushed back with a vengeance.
He pressed his lips together, ever so skilled at remaining stoic, "It's hard to forget," he noted, maintaining a rather intense eye contact, "It seems you've found ways to pass the time," he crossed his arms over his chest, "I imagine you have a lot to say to me." He didn't offer an apology. It would've been insincere.
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Post by starrea on Jan 31, 2020 3:03:35 GMT
Cyra felt a tick of irritation at Destrian’s impassivity to her presence. She was a force of destruction and she desired to be regarded as such. His bravery was only because of the black magic that held her hostage to him, but it didn’t dull her irritation. She would find a way to break the curse and then he would be scared.
Cyra waved a hand, “Oh, I do. But I’m anxious to get out of here. I’m assuming you’re here to get me, unless you’ve just come for a visit?”
She didn’t know what she was going to do if he had just come to check on her. She figured it was unlikely, but she would bring this whole damn mountain down if he left her here again. The thought of leaving, even tied to Destrian, was too good to pass up and too devastating if he left her again. She stepped towards Destrian, towards the mouth of the cave, but she felt the curse tighten around her and she gasped a little as pain spiked through her and she stepped back.
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Post by Val on Jan 31, 2020 3:58:11 GMT
Destrian watched the pain wrack through her and had to look away. He used to hold nothing by contempt for her and life in general. But he had changed, the fog had cleared, and his heart had thawed. He felt sad for Cyra. Empathy forced him to imagine what it would be like if they swapped places. He would be hateful, and that thought made him reluctant to trust Cyra. He imagined she was desperate for freedom and to reap vengeance upon him.
"A visit? No." He would not be here by choice. "I need you, and you need me." He glanced over his shoulder, toward the mouth of the cave, "I will let you out. But you must remain close. Do not resist me, or I shall lock you back in here for eternity," he vowed. Stepping toward her, he offered a hand marred with tattoos of sinister, ancient symbols, preparing to break the seal that bound her, "Let's talk outside."
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Post by starrea on Jan 31, 2020 4:14:22 GMT
There was something different about Destrian. Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on... something softer. He almost looked empathetic, but she knew that couldn’t be right. She had been bound to him because of his characteristic complete lack of care for anyone but himself.
Even though Cyra knew he hadn’t stopped by for a visit, his confirmation of that fact eased a little. It was official, he was finally letting her out. She didn’t even know how many years had gone by. She reached her hand out, fitting her petite one in his much larger one eagerly. Her hatred would have to wait, she couldn’t hide her excitement at leaving her prison, even if it was with Destrian.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all before. I’ll stay close,” She rushed him, already itching to transform into her more powerful form. She may not be able to hurt him, but she was completely capable of taking out her rage on the mountainside. Her body hummed with energy and she shifted her weight anxiously, a part of her afraid that he would leave her here again.
Cyra didn’t comment on whether or not she’d resist him. They both that she wasn’t a willing companion and even if she had said she wouldn’t, they would both know she would be lying. It was a waste of words. She also didn’t miss the way he said he needed her. That was something she would wait to address once she was out of the cave, but rage was already bubbling beneath her surface. She was like a stack of dynamite and once she was free of the cave, she was ready to explode.
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Post by Val on Jan 31, 2020 5:01:30 GMT
Destrian gripped her hand, recalling the moment so many years ago that he had banished her to this prison. He had walked from this cave without so much as a glance back. For a long time, he'd been a prisoner to himself. Alone, angry, maybe even afraid. But Ari had changed him, there was no denying it. He had so much to live for now- a reason to use the power he'd been cursed with. Not for evil, but for protection.
Cyra, however, had never had the chance to move on. They had been kids when he abandoned her, and he wondered if she had any idea how long she'd been here. Her mental stability had to be questionable- how could one mature in complete isolation?
Saving the thoughts for later, he closed his eyes and felt that familiar shiver run across his cold skin as he broke the invisible seal, effectively releasing her into the world.
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Post by starrea on Jan 31, 2020 5:16:54 GMT
Freedom from her cave prison washed over her and she exploded out of the cave into a towering pillar of black smoke. Her cloud of blackness crackled with energy as she drove down the mountainside, toppling trees in her path. Behind her, the earth was scarred with upturned trees and smashed rocks that only showed a fraction of all of the anger, the isolation, the wasted years... all of the pain she wanted to inflict on Destrian.
Everything was exhilarating. She couldn’t believe she had gone without seeing the sky or breathing fresh air for so long. She crashed down the mountainside and then back up again, relishing in her unbridled power. Nothing could hurt her when she was like this, not even Destrian. She wanted to keep going and going and going until Destrian was a distant memory but trying to outrun him wouldn’t work. The curse would pull her back. Anyway, she had too many things to say him right now. He needed to feel her pain, and her time in the cave had only made her more creative on how to exploit his weaknesses since she couldn’t actually harm him.
Her pillar of smoke rose up and crashed down onto the ground in front of him, leaving behind her human form. She charged him, raising her hand as if she was going to strike and only stopping when her hand was an inch or so away from his face.
“You bastard! How dare you leave me up here!” She seethed, her dark eyes blazing with rage. “I will break this curse, and when I do, you will bleed and you will die.” She had threatened him a lot but what he didn’t know was that she had never been more serious in her entire life.
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Post by Val on Jan 31, 2020 6:18:05 GMT
Destrian followed her out of the cave, emerging from the shadows to watch her wreck havoc. She was capable of such massive destruction- it made sense why she needed to be contained. But the way they had done it was endlessly cruel. Viewing the damage from the overlook, he could feel anxiety stirring within him; would he regret this decision?
As she barreled back toward him, he shoved his hands into his pockets and remained doggedly impassive, even when she advanced on him threateningly. He narrowed his eyes, looking down upon her as she attacked him with words, "I didn't do this to you," he reminded her steadily, "Remember the true enemy." He had never forgotten them; the tormentors that haunted his memories.
He turned away from her, refusing to play into her rage. He didn't mind being yelled at...she deserved to vent all she wanted. That didn't mean he was going to react the way she desired. He drifted toward a flat boulder, taking a seat, "If you cannot find a way to leave the past behind, I will leave you behind," he told her. It was an ultimatum of sorts.
In reality, being killed by Cyra wasn't the worst way to go. In many ways, he deserved it. Death by, say, Bram- now that wouldn't do. His real worry was Ari. Cyra could not harm her.
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Post by starrea on Jan 31, 2020 6:30:06 GMT
His reaction, or lack thereof, only made her rage burn hotter. She stalked after him after he turned his back on her, “The true enemy is this curse, and you, my jailor.” She growled. Sure, she hated those who placed the curse on her in the first place. But they hadn’t left her abandoned and alone in a mountainside for years.
Cyra didn’t completely buy his impassive attitude. She could hardly believe that he wasn’t worried. The reason he had left her up in the mountain was because she had been so hard to manage and she couldn’t imagine that he wasn’t worried about that now. Now, though, he had the very real threat of leaving her behind again. Something she wouldn’t take as lightly as she had before.
“What are the rules?” Cyra asked impatiently. He obviously got her out for a reason and she would be crazy that he wasn’t going to be watching her like a hawk. The faster they worked out a system, the faster she could get off this damn mountain and leave it far behind. Anyway, words meant nothing. It’s why he hadn’t bothered to apologize and she hadn’t demanded it. She would show him how angry she was in time.
“I want to get out of here. I have a lot of time to make up for.” She spay spitefully, crossing her arms over her chest.
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Post by Val on Feb 1, 2020 22:07:47 GMT
Destrian gazed at her levelly, glad that they at least seemed to be on the same page. Still, that didn't settle the unease that churned beneath his placid expression. He could lay the ground rules, but that didn't mean she was going to follow them.
"First of all..." he began, suddenly feeling as though he were scolding a child, "I want to know where you're going and where you plan on staying. The world is much different than you might remember," he pointed out, "I can help you get settled." It sounded more like a decision than an offer.
He leaned back against the rock and let his gaze drift toward the moon, knowing she wasn't going to like what he had to say next, "You cannot take on your cursed form. Do not expose yourself. Do not harm anyone or anything." His tone was firm and insistent...and yet, he had released her for a reason. One he wasn't sure how to explain to someone who'd been locked away from society for so long.
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Post by starrea on Feb 1, 2020 22:50:08 GMT
Whatever rules she thought he was going to impose upon her, she obviously hadn’t expected these ones. She scowled, taking a step toward him. She was at least half a foot shorter than him but She made up for that difference in confidence. She knew exactly who she was and what she meant to him. He might not like her, but she was his responsibility and they both knew it.
“Where I plan on staying? I’ve been in the side of a fucking mountain for years, and you won’t even give me a place to stay? Are you seriously leaving me on the streets?” Her pitch rose with each word and her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “I don’t know anyone, you made sure of that. What the fuck am I supposed to do, live like a sewer rat until you call upon me?” She hissed, taking another closer to him until they were nearly touching.
Now that he had gotten her started, there was no stopping her. Rage oozed out of her and the air was tense. She wanted to explode into a pillar of unstoppable smoke, feel the power of destroying anything in her path, but she felt the curse tighten around her, cutting off her air a little. She coughed and the feeling relaxed. The curse didn’t give Destrian complete control over her every action, but he could dictate when she could transform.
She couldn’t punch him, so she turned around and pulled her hand back and punched the rocky wall next to the cave entrance. Pain exploded in her hand but she didn’t care. She whirled back around to face him, nearly shaking with anger, “Are you going to get me a little provocative outfit to wear when you call upon me? Should I just call you Master?” Cyra stopped to take a breath, barely noticing the blood drip off of her knuckles onto the ground, “Why the fuck did you come get me for, Destrian? To ruin me, again?”
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Post by Val on Feb 2, 2020 1:44:21 GMT
Destrian endured the outburst, feeling an unpleasant emotion crawl up into his throat. Guilt. He could see himself in her- the violent temper he'd managed to tame over the years. He'd been rid of her for long that he'd forgotten one major detail: she was a person, not his pet. He couldn't use her as a weapon without becoming something he hated, someone that Ari would look down upon. No, he had to take on the impossible challenge of mending their relationship.
"Okay, okay," he interjected, face reddening slightly as though he were embarrassed for his careless suggestion, "Of course I'm going to help you. I will find you a safe place to stay, money, clothes- whatever you need," he promised, though the color in his face only darkened at the mention of clothes combined with her outfit suggestion. Damn her. She was making him feel like a child again.
He glared at her bloody hand and stepped forward, snatching up her wrist. He produced a leather canteen from his jacket and popped the top off with his teeth before pouring the cold water over her knuckles, "I came to you because this fucking world is a mess and I need a defense against all of the omnipotent assholes that think they can get away with anything they want," he released her arm and pushed the bottle into her hands for her to drink, "We're going to protect each other from now on, you and I. And maybe one day, we will find a way to break our bond for good."
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Post by starrea on Feb 2, 2020 2:31:52 GMT
Cyra couldn’t help but feel satisfied that she was finally getting a reaction out of him. She had spent years imagining Destrian remorseful for his actions, but now seeing his guilt firsthand didn’t alleviate any of her pain. In fact, it made her angrier. She paced back and forth as she tried to gather her thoughts but they were going a million miles a minute.
“I’m not staying with you?” She asked tentatively. While she had longed to be free of Destrian, she knew nothing about the world and had never lived on her (not including the mountainside). Destrian was the only thing she knew and despite her distaste for him, having him abandon her somewhere else unknown didn’t put her at ease. But she tried to quash those feelings because she didn’t want Destrian to know that any part of her needed him. She pulled back when he grabbed her arm but he wouldn’t let go and she glared at him as he rinsed the blood off of her knuckles. When he let go, she ripped her arm back from as if his touch burned her.
She stopped her pacing and stared at him as he tried to mend their extremely broken relationship, her eyes narrowing. “Fuck you,” She growled, stalking back up to him. “You don’t care about me. You locked me away so I wouldn’t be your problem anymore. You took everything away from me. Don’t you dare start pretending this is anymore more than you trying to save your own ass.”
She needed to get off this damn mountain. She started towards the only thing that vaguely looked like a trail without sparing a glance back at Destrian. If she were going the wrong way she figured he would correct her. As she walked, she wondered what would happen to her curse if he died.
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Post by Val on Feb 2, 2020 16:36:14 GMT
Destrian heaved a frustrated sigh and gazed after her, allowing her a small head start before he followed. She was right to some extent. Except, it wasn't only his ass that needed saving. It was Ari, it was Eve, it was all of the victims of corruption that deserved a chance. His moral code had grown exponentially, but he still struggled to admit to the atrocities he'd brought upon Cyra. There remained a disconnect between his past life and his current one.
He remained a few paces behind her as they walked, "You want to stay with me?" he asked incredulously. It was the last thing he would've expected. Then again, perhaps she was more afraid of the big bad world than she was letting on. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure how to accommodate her in the soldiers barracks in which he lived. There were dangerous and suspicious people all around- he couldn't risk it. It seemed it was time for him and Ari to find a new living situation. One that accounted for Cyra's presence.
"Don't you forget that you were a danger to everyone around you. I did what I had to," he spoke quickly and continued, before her rage had a chance to renew, "I won't lie to you, Cyra. I've come to you for selfish reasons. But that doesn't mean I can't at least try to make up for my mistakes."
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