Private Tales The Aftermath

[Luna Slateforge]

The bear charged her prone form like a bull as it suddenly fell forwards with a surprised growl. void tendrils were wrapped around its legs and yanked them out from under him. It turned with a vicious roar as Luna walked towards it.
"I am not the same girl you faced all those years ago monster."
She said simply as she moved her hand to the right and the tentacles swung the massive bear by its hind legs smashing through two entire trees before releasing it to fly a good 4 feet.
As the void released it Luna made a few hand gestures as the void snaked under the snow like a swarm of snakes before forming a set of long serrated spikes jutting from the snow like teeth.
The bear fell on them heavily. It groaned in its death throws as Luna approached, unable to pull its self from the spikes as they curved inward like hooks.
"Im something completely different." She muttered "This is for Gwendolyn." She said finally as she snapped her fingers as a final spike sprung from the ground and punched through the beasts head.
"Take the sword." She muttered to Eleanor turning to her with her usual dead pan expression, but her eyes.... If eyes could kill..Eleanor would be stone dead. Her tone was more icy than usual as well. "Now!" She snapped. Her hands shook like she wanted to hurt something, and her aura was rippling with frustration.

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

Eleanor stared at the headless corpse of the beast and the slowly spreading pool of blood staining the snow red around it. She had never seen Luna fight like this. The anger that permeated her being radiated outward, and the way Luna looked at her, she had never looked at her that way before and it sent a chill through her soul.

Elanor struggled to her feet breathing heavy, her heart still racing. Here own eyes tired and empty, but her hands were trembling. She jumped when Luna snapped at her her eyes growing wider as she quickened her pace and grasped the sword.

Instantly she felt a rush of new memories, of blood and sacrifice, Void Render wreathed in darkness, hungry, so hungry. And all the souls, the blood, their auras, so pure. She pulled it free before collapsing doubling over wretching over and over again. She dropped the blade hugging her shuddering form, acid and bile mingling with the beast's blood in the snow, tears streaming down her face from the effort. She didn't stop till her stomach was more than empty, forcing herself to reduce her dry wretching to shallow rapid gasps.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

Luna picked her up by the back of the neck and threw her over her shoulder.
Her great sword laid in the snow as she sheathed the Void Render into the no empty sheathe.
She was still heaving. "I know..I know pup.." She said flatly with a small tone of gentleness under her new icy demeanor.
As the spikes the bear laid on began to twist and wrap around the carcass before it seemed to sink into the bubbling ground leaving nothing but a black stain in the snow.
Soon the shrine was in view as she dumped her at the base of the alter. She then drew the sword as energy seemed to come from the shrine as the sword glowed dimly.
A slit opened in the center of the alter and she drove the black blade into the slit and it sunk down to the hilt. She then turned on her heel and entered her cabin. She returned with two large jars full of a dark liquid. It smelled of copper and death. It was blood. The aura still strong with both jars.
Freshly drawn from a fresh kill. How had Luna obtained it she felt would not be a good question to ask even if she could. At the moment she was hearing the whispers of her master.
"Keep your word child.."
It said as her ailments began to cease as she felt his hand on her shoulder.
"Rise, and embrace your fate."
Luna simply moved to the side and stood at the far corner of the shrine with her hands folded.

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

Eleanor felt nauseous, her knees weak. The thought of what she was being asked to do made her stomach churn. She would just have to not think about it. She struggled to her feet. He looked exhausted tired eyes fixed on the hilt of the blade. She could feel the soul aura radiating from the jars. Four maybe five auras. She forced herself not to think about where they came from. It was strange, no one had ever told her any of this but she knew exactly how to perform the ritual.

She took off her coat letting it fall to the ground, greeted instantly by the intense cold. She was grateful to the chill air for it's distraction. She pulled off her gloves and tossed them aside before rolling up her sleeves, revealing the white marks running from her palms up her arms. She walked around to the other side of the alter raising her hands over the hilt of the blade as if in blessing. Focusing her self and syncronizing herself with the aura of the blade. Her eyes turned white for a moment before she closed them. "May this sacrifice be acceptable to you," She spoke her voice wavering as she stretched out her arms her palms hovering over the openings to the jars that stood to either side of the blade. The white marks on her palms started to glow black, the dark light shining through the thin fabric of her shirt up her arms across her back meeting at the black mark on the back of her neck. Her feet left the ground as she began to levitate and she opened her eyes. They were black, as if one were looking into the void. She cast her gaze upwards and gritted her teeth black tears running like a thick icour down her face.

Her palms turned upwards as the blood began to flow from the jars. The blade pulled itself from the stone hovering over the altar as it drank deeply of the blood till the jars were dry. Eleanor then reached out and took hold of the hilt with both hands. As soon as she touched it the blade was wreathed in void energy. Resonating with power.

"Bind yourself to the void and be restored. You are Void Render Bastellen's right hand." There was a gust of wind and a flash of darkness as a searing pain ran up Eleanor's arms to the back of her neck. She flinched, then her feet touched the ground. She laid the blade down on the altar and turned to go back to the hut but faltered having to grab the edge of the altar to steady herself.

She felt thoroughly exhausted. But she barely gave herself a moment before using the void the create a staff to assist her. She moved past Luna without even looking at her, bending down to pick up her coat and loves folding them over the crook of her arm as she began to descend the stairs.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

Luna retrieved the blade without a word. She sheathed it with a slight sigh as she moved after her pupil.
The jars laid empty and abandoned as she silently threw Eleanor's arm over her shoulder and helped her back into the cabin. "Using the void right now will take much energy. Energy I do not think you have child."
She said simply. Her icy tone now non-existent and her softness returning.
"This blade...The master we will be traveling to...It brings up a lot of memories. Memories I would soon forget if fate allowed."
She said with a bitter edge as she shouldered open the door and help Eleanor to the bed to sit.

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

“I’m fine,” Eleanor huffed pulling away from Luna, “The Master chose me as the Void Forger because of my exceptional control of the void. Something like this is child's play,” She snapped, still unable to look at Luna.

She let Luna open the door for her striding past her inside. She dispersed the void staff and flung her coat and gloves over the bench before going over to the washbasin. She splashed cold water over her face washing away the icour but her hands were shaking. She looked down at them, water droplets glistening against pink scars and white marks. She looked up at the small mirror that leaned against the wall behind the washbasin. She started at her own appearance. She hadn't gotten a good look at herself in a while. Her hair was completely white, and she was so pale, dark circles standing out beneath tired ragged eyes. The top two buttons of her shirt had come undone and were hanging open and her hair was coming out of its ponytail. She shook her head splashing her face with more water before straitening and heading for the trap door.

"I'll be downstairs," she said using the void to open the trap door before heading down the stairs.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

Luna opened her mouth to reply but at the slam of the trap door she closed her mouth as it formed a thin line.
She shook her head as if clearing a haze. Why did she care how Eleanor felt. She had done her job as high priestess, and Eleanor had done her job as Void forger.
The task was complete. Then why did she feel as if Eleanor wasn't content, and why did she care. She simply shook her head again and busied herself with cleaning two rabbits for the stew cooking in a cauldron and taking care of the cabins up keep. Her void tentacles spread around her like spider legs dusting and righting misplaced or misaligned objects and yet the feeling of sadness persisted. It felt wrong that Eleanor was unhappy.
Granted she had never truly been happy around Luna but she at least felt that she had felt safe. Now she wouldnt even look at her. Things people did and felt rarely affected Luna, but for some reason she was distraught which was extremely foreign to her. She moved to the trap door.
Two mugs of tea in her hands as she softly opened the door and used the void to lower her softly down without a sound as usual. "Pup..." She said softly setting the tea on a small table and sitting across from her.
"What troubles you.."

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

The trapdoor slammed behind her leaving the room in complete darkness. Reaching the bottom of the stairs her knees finally gave out and she collapsed on the floor hands trembling as she took deep breaths, desperately trying to chase the tight feeling from her lungs. She held up her hand and covered half her face as her breathing started to come faster, more desperate, tears wetted her palm and ran down her cheek as her shoulders began to shake and she stifled a sob. She doubled over burring her face in her hands, breathing coming is stifled gasps.

Eventually, her breathing evened, and she sat up, pulling her damp palms away from her face. One hand fell in her lap as she held the other in front of her face as if looking at the mark, though she couldn't see it in the darkness. She was still, so still, then slowly her other hand drew the ritual dagger from its sheath.

***

When Luna came down the stairs the first thing she saw was blood staining the floor at the bottom of the stairs. Eleanor sat on the floor infront of the fireplace. Legs tucked under her as she sat staring vacantly at the fire. Blood stained her left wrist and some of her sleave but she was uninjured. The dagger lay discarded on the ground nearby.

"It didn't work," She said hollowly without taking her eyes off the flames, "He wouldn't let me."

 

[Luna Slateforge]

Luna slowly sat next to her. She was not a touchy person but she sat because she didnt know what else to do. So she focused on work. She took Eleanor's hand gently and began cleaning the wound. It had bitten deep before her masters healing had prevented it, and had undoubtedly allowed for it to be as painful as possible before stopping it. "It was foolish of you to think he would." She said softly.
"Were it so easy....I would not be here myself." Her mouth was in a thin line as she continued.
"I find it odd however..." She continued as her voice began to tighten along with her grip on Eleanor's wrist. It was hard as steel and quiet painful.
"That you were so ready to deny me my own eternal rest not a day ago.." She said as her grip almost began to break her pupils wrist. "And yet you rushed so quickly to yours without a word. With out a thought. Of me. Of Syn."
Her grip finally loosened as she sighed and finished bandaging the wound allowing it to now heal on its own. She looked defeated. "I do not ask for your love child. I never have. I would not even know what to do with it if I felt it myself...."
She rose slowly before turning and grabbing Eleanor by the throat. Her eyes holding the same icy anger they had earlier today as she slowly pressed her against the wall.
"But I will not stand to see you hurting yourself more than life, others, or our master already have...It makes me sick to my stomach...Because...I...I cant protect you from..you.."
She loosened her grip as the ice melted and only showed deep pain, and a single tear slid down her cheek. It was the second time in her life Eleanor had ever seen such a thing. She brushed it away quickly as she simply let Eleanor slide back to the floor until it was simply their bodies pressed against each other.
And for reasons even Luna didnt understand herself she kissed Eleanor deeply. Before withdrawing back looking shocked at her own actions.."Just...promise me you wont..."
She said looking down extremely confused..She had never done such a thing with anyone much less a human..

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

Eleanor didn't move as Luna sat down and began caring for the cut. She let out a soft gasp as Luna's grip tightened, she couldn't seem to feel anything, but she felt the pain. Was this what Syn meant when she said she liked the pain?

Luna seemed so upset... Why had she saved Luna the other day? Maybe she was just scared of being alone with this emptiness. Was that selfish?

Luna grabbed her by the throat and pressed her against the wall. She seemed so angry. Eleanor gasped her breath stalled but she didn't fight it. Luna let go and they sunk to the floor together, then they were kissing. Luna pulled away, confusion and pain written on her face. Eleanor lay on the ground her back pressed against the wall. Another button of her shirt had come undone, she wore nothing underneath, the V of the fabric bearly covering everything. Eleanor looked back up at Luna her eyes full of a searching confused hunger. She had wanted this so badly the other day. And now... Maybe...

"Do you want this?" She whispered running her fingers through Luna's hair and pulling her back in for another kiss, her other hand slipping under Luna's skirt and brushing against her bare thigh.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

"I want you.."
Luna was able to say before being pulled into another kiss by Eleanor. She gasped as she felt a slight twinge of pain as her hair was lightly tugged to pull her into it.
She felt Eleanor's hand go under her shirt, and grip her bare thigh. She let her self be pushed into the opposite wall as she felt Eleanor press into her. The leg that was being caressed was lifted and wrapped around the back of Eleanor's own leg.
She kissed her deeply before pulling her on top of her onto the couch they had been sitting at moments ago. Her clothes had slipped away leaving her in only her pants as Eleanor her self was only wearing an unbuttoned shirt. Her hands were wrapped around her waist lightly resting on her hips slowly slipping down lower. She kept her breasts pressed against her own as her scars seemed to glow in the fire light.
So much old pain few had ever seen. Punctures, slashed, bites, stab wounds. She looked like hell underneath her clothes so she kept Eleanor's face to her neck not wanting to frighten her. Unaware the girl had ever seen them as before it hadn't mattered. But she let her hands wander where they will. She didn't understand the feelings she had right now. Only that Eleanor was the only one she had them for. There was no part of her body, no part of her mind, and no part of her soul she didn't trust Eleanor with so as she felt her touch it made her let out a slight moan to her own shock. She had never made a sound like that before.
It felt odd. "..Do...do you want me?" She asked softly. Her expression was dead pan as always but her eyes held the true weight of that question. The answer meant everything to her. She was almost as innocent as a school girl never knowing a loving touch.

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

"Yes, oh yes," Elanor whispered in her ear, turning them over so she was on top, caressing Luna's neck with kisses, sending them along her collar bone and down her chest. She let out a soft gasp as Luna's hand slipped beneath her pants. Eleanor's hand caressed Lun hip her thumb tracing the scar that ran along it, hooking her thumb under the band of her clothing as she followed it. "I want you, I want you so bad it aches," She breathed.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

Luna woke the next morning with Eleanor wrapped around her.
She laid there unwilling to untangle herself for a moment until the whispers called to her. They hungered. She rose untangling herself stealthily and went to the door.
She dressed and shouldered her bow and quiver before opening the door and slipping out into the snow and the early dawn light. After tasting human blood the souls grumbled and complained as deer blood slated their thirst but didnt truly quench it. They grew restless muttering of the "Old days." and how "disgraceful." the sacrifice was.
Luna sat calmly sharpening and repairing her arrows hearing their gripes until they settled. It was part of the job. Her master was silent this morning. Meaning last night's resurrection of the Void Render had satisfied him well enough, but they would need to be on their way to Maywynn soon if that satisfaction was to linger. She sat meditating. Why didnt she go back in...She couldnt answer..Maybe she was scared of the events to come..Maybe she was scared of Eleanor...Well not scared of her..Scared of how she made her feel..Luna may look young but she was quite old. She had watched centuries pass and never had someone that stirred the still lake of her emotions...Except for one. That person...When they left...The pain jarred her from her meditative state, and try as she might she couldnt slip back into it. So she simply sat trying. Delaying re entering the cabin for as long as she could.

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

Eleanor slowly woke up, she was alone. her body ached, that's right, the fight with a bear yesterday... and then... her wrist throbbed where the bandage was. And Luna! That had happened. She had wanted it so badly the other day. Then why did she still feel so empty? She sat up and rubbed the bleary morning from her eyes. She stared at the floor where her blood still stained it... and the dagger. It hadn't worked.

She got up slowly, her body feeling heavy as she collected her clothes and put them on, bending over and picking up the dagger sheathing it before heading up the stairs. She didn't feel Luna in the cabin. That was probably a good thing. She put another log in the fireplace, lighting it with her aura and then pulled out the sewing basket. There were some articles of clothing that needed mending. Tares from past fights. Why did Luna always wear white clothes, it was so hard to get blood stains out of it. Eleanor took up one of the shirts and a needle and thread. Sticking the needle between her teeth she rummaged around in the basket till she found the thimble.

She was rather good at sewing. It was one of the few things her mother had taught her. For all of Valkeries skills, she was rather useless with a needle, unless it was medical... Eleanor's smile quickly faded as she thought about home. How were they getting along without her? And what about Terance. She had missed the funeral. She wondered if she would be allowed to visit his grave. But then she would have to face her family... They would never understand... and she would just be putting them in danger...

 

[Luna Slateforge]

"Your good at that.."
Luna said as she quietly came inside. She stood for a moment like she didnt know how to proceed before throwing another log on the fire and sitting next to her. She kissed her softly before sitting next to her and producing a long hunting knife which she began to sharpen. She quietly watched her sew with a sort of admiration.
"We will need to leave soon. Your winter gear is where you left it though I do not think you'll need it for the whole journey."
She commented as she ceased sharpening for a moment.
Her eyes never leaving Eleanor"s hands as they worked. The Void Render sat propped next to the door along with two packs.
Luna must have been busy this morning. She gently placed a hand to Eleanor's neck and with a warm glow some of the pain she had been feeling from yesterday disappeared and what remained was reduced to dull throbs.
She then went back to her sharpening.

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

Eleanor didn't take her eyes off her sewing as Luna entered, only glancing up when Luna's back was turned as she put another log on the fire before returning her attention to her work. She stopped as Luna lent down and kissed her on the neck. She didn't pull away but she didn't react either, her dead eyes fixed on her work. Luna sat down next to her and began sharpening a knife and Eleanor continued her work. She listened to Luna talk about preparations, only nodding slightly to show that she understood. She froze again as Luna touched her neck and some of the pain melted away, but she still didn't look at Luna.

There was a long moment of silence, only the sound of the knife against the whetstone and the soft rustle of the fabric. "Thank's," Eleanor muttered, her face growing hot, still not meeting Luna's eyes. She wasn't even sure what she was thanking her for, or why.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

"It was..Nothing..." She muttered softly. "Is...is everything alright.." She asked finally after struggling for a moment to seemingly find the words. Her knife still sharpened as the needle kept threading.

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

Eleanor paused her grip tightening on the fabric, “yeah,” she muttered, before quickly returning to her work. It was a lie but she didn’t even know what was wrong herself, much less be able to put it into words.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

"That is not true." Luna said after a moment. "This journey will be perilous and its destination more so. Inner turmoil will not help matters. You feel empty." She said finally sheathing her knife. "Very empty." She continued.
She stood and retrieved The Void Render. She took out the glowing black steel blade and took out a jar of dark red liquid. She then drew out a black looking whetstone before pouring what was now obviously blood on the blade and began sharpening it.

 

[Eleanor Griffin]

Eleanor glanced at the blade and then quickly looked away, her stomach-churning.

"It's so empty out here, there is nothing around for miles. No auras... I prefer the city, at least there I can feel everyone else. I can't use my magic out here." She said finishing her sewing and setting it aside.