Private Tales The End of the Beginning

[Celeste Tenebrea]

~Several years before their arrival in Elbion~

Celeste trembled, power coursing through every nerve ending she had. Terrible, power. She swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, red hot blood streaking across the pale flesh of the elven female. She was focused. Concentrating. Hard at work on the one thing that she'd cared anything about. He'd taken, yes he, substantial damage from their latest conquest. Celeste had raided the local crematorium for bodies. Only, due to the substantial rise of body snatchers (Her mostly), there had been armed guards posted outside.

The guards proved more useful than the contents of the Crematorium in the end. Celeste giggled triumphantly. Finally she'd untangled the mess of sinew and muscle to reveal what she'd been after. A round pale pink organ. She used one hand to push the dead body over onto the floor and walked delicately over to her most prized possession. Madness in her eyes. She grinned, and crouched over Grimr, kneeling besides the massive creature.

"Only a quick pain. You know." She made a small incision and began rummaging around in his guts, blood and green bile spilling out. She found the leak and quickly removed the damaged part, replacing it with the one she'd found. Pulling on the magic she called forth she bade the organ to heal properly. The same power healers used. She grinned. She'd gotten good at that. Twisting the power of health, turning it black. She then returned the fascia over the organs and healed it before closing the skin and repeating the same process. "There. No more bleeding and gushing..." Her arms and the front of her apron were drenched in blood. Grimr was brand spanking new. All healed up and functional again.

"How does that feel? Better? I should hope so. It was a bleeder. Why a creature as yourself would need a spleen I have no idea, BUT yours is brand new. They didn't need it anymore." She gestured to the two dead guards on the ground, still warm and bleeding into the earth.

Celeste turned towards the water barrel and filled her bucket, before upturning the contents over herself to wash the body fluids off of her skin. She pulled the ties to the apron and hung the fabric neck loop over a hook. Celeste pulled her pale pastel hair back and ran her fingers through it as she turned to regard Grimr. "We are getting nowhere in this backwater hell hole. Everywhere we go we are hunted. I am tired of running." She stated it matter of factly. Celeste didn't complain. She used logic. "If I'm going to get anywhere I need more power. More coin. We need More." Everything really. They were living off of the remains of the dead. Using what they could to survive. Eating the flesh of the dead when it was fresh enough.

The she-elf nibbled on her lip as she thought, pulling a thick black robe around herself to stave off the cold after her post surgery shower. "I heard tale of a caravan making it's way North." She murmured, the gears in her brain whirring. She could just as easily bring down the Caravan, take it's gold and it's bodies. People, fresh bodies were about as good as gold to her. They could use the Caravan. "Ever heard of the city of Elbion?" She grinned, turning to face Grimr again. "There's a Mage College there." She grinned.
Grimr

 

[Grimr]

He could feel the heat of blood leaving his body, the thick red liquid seeping from the deep wound in his form. He felt pain in a different way, he was acutely aware that he was bearing a severe wound that would lead to his demise if it wasn’t fixed and would send a normal human in to shock. He was not alone however, he was with his creator, Celeste Tenebrea who was working her magic on a fresh corpse. He was seated on the floor trying to minimize further damage and blood loss.

“My Dea…” He retorted as she spoke to him, even though there may have been madness in her eyes to any other, to him it was naught but the most beautiful and caring expression he could conceive of. As she made the incision and moved her delicate digits through his innards a low monstrous growl slipped from his throat, not voluntary but a reaction from his more animalistic nature, the first years of his life spent as a simple creature still had an effect on him today.

As soon as she finished the pain and discomfort was alleviated, his large clawed hand reached out for her, he smiled in the only way he could. His jaw opened up and split slightly at the middle, were it in the face of anyone that did not know him it would have been a frightening sight but Celeste would have learned a long time ago that it was a sign of affection from the creature.

“Much better.” A light lisp as his jaws locked back in place to speak. “You made me, if anyone knows it would be you.” He chortled a chuckle that sounded as hollow as Celeste’s soul. His hand moved over to her cheek, for a monstrosity of his proportion he was as delicate and steady as a surgeon as he caressed past her perfect porcelain features.

“I will protect you, no matter what.” He said confidently at the mention of being hunted, he was not immortal of course but his life was worthless without hers whereas a goddess could always bring him back if she wished It so.

“I can work harder.” He said, as if desperate to please her, he had robbed and killed whenever he had a chance to get her the coin and valuables she desired, but he was no perfect creature and errors often resulted in wounds that required substantial efforts to fix.

“Elbion? Maybe, we’ve been here for so long I am certain it’s passed the lips of someone I killed before.” A long-forked tongue slipped from his mouth, licking past the lines of his jaw, he had no lips to fully close his mouth so every once in a while, he had the habit of wetting the outer parts with his tongue.

“If you think we can get more there, then we will go there my sweet.” He spoke to her like a lover at times, and others as a goddess, a mother and more, for she fulfilled all roles in his life and he was satisfied.

“You could find knowledge to further your studies, perhaps we could abduct one of the students there and make it your puppet to infiltrate this mage college… It would provide easy access without setting off any alarms, though we would do well to find a solitary mage… Then again most of them are.” He laughed, which sounded like a chisel scraping deeply past stone.

“Even if it ends up as a useless lead, we can still move on from there. After a century we have not gotten much closer to your goals so perhaps it is for the best that we move on, wherever you go, there I will be.” He said, a tone of determination and devotion, not to mention the creature was quite the carnivore and he could not help but think that perhaps the meat would taste different there. Everything in this city always had a bit of a garbage aftertaste, perhaps because of the people it originally belonged to.

 

[Celeste Tenebrea]

“Yes. I did make you didn’t I? Sometimes I must be reminded. It feels so long ago and just yesterday.” She grinned back, pressing a small hand upon the left lower mandible. A caring gesture lost on anyone but them.

“You do protect me. Very well.” She chuckled, she did have a few scars underneath her clothing from previous forays at the start. But had not gotten much more than a scratch since they learned each other’s’ weaknesses and limits. They’d broken each other over the other in those young years. Grimr learned how tender she really was, how easily her loss of life could be. How mortal she was. And she learned quickly all that he could take from her. Her many, many surgeries, her many times she had to replace or fix something. She was a master at this task now.


“Work smarter. Not harder.” She nodded, nibbling her lip in thought. “I think you are right. It is time. Elbion has gotten much too big, and the college will be a great font of knowledge.” She grinned at his mention of a mind-slave. Grinning. “Ohhh very nice. You’re so smart!!!” A maternal tone, something she used when she was truly impressed with him. It was a valid plan he’d suggested. She pressed into the creature, wrapping her arms around him for a hug.


“Yes. I think it is settled. We must make preparations to move then.” She turned again, eyeing the pile of rotting corpses littered about their hovel. “We’ll just burn it once we leave.”

 

[Grimr]

The mandible twitched, almost as if it desired to be touched by her, a deep chittering sound emanating from his throat. Her touch almost felt like tiny strands of electricity coursing through her fingers and in to his skin. He never truly knew whether it was because she created him, or because he lived off of her magical energy, but being close to her, receiving her touch it gave nothing but satisfaction to him. “You are my sun and moon… There is nothing I would not do for you.” He said in retort to her words of praise.

His touch and handling of her was as gentle as could be, he was everything she physically lacked, he knew no magic, he was made for physical prowess… Every inch of him crafted lovingly by her hands.

“Indeed, and if anyone can work as efficiently as possible, it is you.” He said as he listened to her, and even more so as she praised him, it truly did make him feel like her child. He sought her approval in all things and he had so many names for her that to outsiders the entire relation might have seemed strange, to them it was perfect. “Thank you, mother.” He said In response to her praise.

“Why bother burning it, let them discover it, perhaps if there is any they’ll kill some competition in the process. If they are foolish enough to follow us, then I will rip their hearts out.” He grinned, those large mandibles separating in the process. “Can you imagine the looks on their faces when they discover this place?” He said, almost excited at the prospect. Grimr truly was the darkest parts of her in the flesh. “I can almost taste the terror in the air, perhaps as a parting gift we should decorate the walls with their bodies and…” He looked her up and down, the gaze and inflection of his form said enough.

“I would love to see you bathed in blood… We don’t know when next we’ll have the chance.”

 

[Celeste Tenebrea]

Celeste smiled, she enjoyed hearing the chittering. It reassured her more than anything. The male. Her male. Celeste tilted her head, “I know you would do anything. I don’t seek your demise. You are precious to me.” She meant it. He was. The summation of her power, the continual growth of her power. As she got better and learned, he too grew in strength.

“Efficiency. I need to be better, do better. I need to know more. The College of Mages shall help me achieve that.” She relished the feel of the finely crafted skin under her fingertips. Knew that at a moments’ notice he would thoroughly enjoy laying low anything in her way. She shuddered. The knowledge was powerful to her.

“You’re most welcome my dear.” She smiled up at him again. At his words she tilted her head in thought, eyeing the bodies on the floor.

“Perhaps, yes it would be fun. The terror would be delicious. BUT. We do not need to leave a trace of us behind. This would only seek to harm us if I were to be found out too soon. We are not yet powerful enough to chance at a misstep.” She shook her head. It was too risky. They needed to be rid of the evidence for now.

“Another time, lover. I cannot risk us being hunted down. Once we’ve settled in Elbion. Then perhaps, given the right time and circumstances.” A delicate hand caressed his shoulder. “Eat what you will. We will leave at dusk.”

 

[Grimr]

He felt pride, the deepest and most genuine source of pride as she spoke of him. Grimr had been created by her and that made her a goddess, and he was a fanatic follower as well. “I would do anything you ever desire of me Dea.” He said, a slight excited twitch of his mandible jaws which was what constituted a smile for the monstrous homunculus.

“There is nothing you cannot do, and if this College of Mages helps you achieve it then we will take them for all they have to offer.” He was not a magical creature but her magical influence gave him some magical resistance, especially when it came to matters of control. To be able to take control over Grimr they would have to completely sever the connection he had to Celeste and that would essentially kill him anyway.

“Very well, I understand that we have to be thorough, I will take care of it and make sure that anything left behind cannot be identified as anything but a horrible fire accident.” Grimr would simply mangle the corpses with a few wooden beams that would have supposedly fallen on them, he was great at creating a narrative of death.

The monster had often done this, and Celeste had taught him originally to the point where he was able to do it and even improve, it was the reason they had never been discovered. “I was thinking that perhaps we should create some armor that I can wear, if I’m wearing armor with a helmet, I will at least be able to walk in public with you, we’re going to a new city with new challenges and I wish to be there to protect you when I can.” He was hungry admittedly but while they were preparing, he figured sharing some of his thoughts would be beneficial for her consideration.

“And one more thing, perhaps when we are there you can find some sort of illusionary spell, should I ever have to reveal myself, a simple spell should be available to give me a human appearance.” He paused, looking at her, a deep exhale. Whenever he gazed upon her, he could not help but find a tingling run through his form, excitement and desire as well as admiration of the highest order. “I-..” It took him a few seconds to regain his train of thought. “Oh, yes, it would simply be useful to use subterfuge, there is no better place to hide than in plain sight, people do not suspect that which they believe they know."

After that he would get to work on preparing the narrative of these deaths, accidents happen after all and fires equally so.

 

[Celeste Tenebrea]

Celeste smiled, her hand on his shoulder digging into flesh to scratch angry furrows down his shoulder and over his chest. She growled, feral. Grimr was her mirror. He was her inner demon. She smiled, tilting her head to the side, running a tongue over a delicate lip. She licked her fingers, enjoying the coppery taste of blood.

“Grimr, you’ve gotten stronger. We can have plenty to play with on the trip up there. Bodies will rot out in the wastes. There would be no greater chance to dance in the death of those around us.” Her grin probably showed more teeth than was comfortable for most sane beings.

She nodded at his suggestion of armor. It was a great idea. He’d would indeed be able to walk with her, an issue they’d had up to late. But commissioning something of that nature would require more funds or a brain washing, or magic. She hummed in thought.

“The blacksmith…..” She blinked, could she erase his memories if she took over and have him build the armor? She mulled it over, her small pink tongue darting out to clean the blood from her lip. She would need a bit more energy than she had. They would need to hunt at least once more before attempting to break the Blacksmith’s mind.


“I will need a treat, my beautiful monster. We will have the armor built within the week, then we will leave.” She nodded, finally.

Grimr

 

[Grimr]

The sensation of pain was strange to him, it was different when it came from her. Whether it was because he was her creation or his emotions, her touch always felt electric to him. He made sounds that reflected his inner joy.

"And I will keep getting stronger as you grow stronger my dearest." He said, proud of her words to him.

"Then we will hunt Mother, tell me what it is you desire this night..? Young, old, delicate or rough, I will find whatever suits your tastes best." He said, he was excited to hunt for her, in that regard he was still very much a beast, her pet and he took pride in that.

"I will have armor so I can walk with you wherever you go.. I hope to be by your side forever my sweet Goddess."

Grimr would prepare, the hunt would not be long especially given proper motivation for extra reward. He had never been able to go out during the day, it was difficult as his size was suspicious and robes made him stand out more in an unfortunate manner.

Armor would make him stand out as well but he would be seen as a large warrior rather than a strange monster that has to hide their face behind a hood or cowl.

"I am lucky to have such attention from my creator, while all these beings walk around hoping for a single word from their god.. I am allowed to love and touch mine."

 

[Celeste Tenebrea]

Celeste's smile was eerily sweet, laying a gentle hand on Grimr's arm.

"We need something strong. Very strong. Young and hot blooded. To fuel my magic. It will not be easy my dear. But it will be worth the work."

Celeste drew a symbol over her skin and her sigils came to life. She felt a cold drain on her strength but recovered quickly. Other than bringing the sigils to life, they wouldn't drain until they were activated. A small feat of magical ability she mastered recently. She pulled her cloak about her shoulders and with a gesture to Grimr to follow, began making her way out into the darkness. Heading for the more boisterous tavern.

Celeste brought herself up close to Grimr, her stride was 4 for every 2 of his. She was still smaller than her creature but she kept up.

The moon was but a sickle in the sky and the stars were almost nonexistent. Celeste watched as the street became empty, save for the lone straggler heading for one building or another.

She peered into the window of the tavern, being careful not to be seen. And like she knew, the rabble was out. She mused to herself as she inspected the prospects. Settling on a man who's body barely fit in his clothes, tattered and wind worn. A sailor no doubt, used to the rough toss of waves and fighting the rigging against the wind. He would do nicely.

"I'll draw him out to the back, then you can have him my love. Keep him quiet until we can get back. I will need to drain the essence and what's left is for you my dear."

She smiled again, lips curling in a sinister manner. She knew Grimr would still share, may even insist on coating her in blood for his amusement, an amusement she fostered. He was her only love. The only constant in her life since she brought him into the world.

Grimr