Chaos

[flammos200]

Flareth Everflame & Haladria Netherwalker

The large, mechanical grandfather clock's pendulum swayed from side to side, producing a regular, calm tick with each swing. The room was clad in black and gold, the typical colors of a Scryer dwelling on the Tier of Shattrath. There was a small armchair, on which a thin, though moderately muscular, dark-haired girl sat in simple, if practical mage robes, peering at another. The latter wasn't as tall, and had a long, crimson ponytail flowing all about her back. She had a mace and a sword on either side of her hips, and wore gem-studded boots and gauntlets, a similar gem, though differing in color, being encrusted into her belt buckle. She wore a simple tunic and pants.

The robe-clad one raised an eyebrow. "Flareeey... When're you going to finish that gem? I want to see what it does."

Flareth turned her head, brushing a crimson strand of hair from her eyes with her pointer finger, then returned the small needle-like red dart in her hand to the gem on the workbench she'd been working on. "Soon. Just sit tight. I'll be riiight there, Hal. Promise." she said to the one in the armchair.

"All right. Just... There's barely any candy left, and I thought you'd like us to go get some more." Haladria answered, smiling.

Flareth was about to say something further, but there was a knock on the door. She shook her head, sighing and set the red needle down. "Come in." she called over.

The doorknob turned and in came the familiar figure of Larayna Kaminuil, dressed in black and red - a jacket and shirt, skirt and boots. with the golden Scryers' emblem on the left front of her jacket, right over her heart. She carried a black obelisk in her hands. "I've brought the object you requested." she said towards Flareth. Something was a bit off about her voice. She looked tired.

Haladria stared at Larayna, tipping her head to the side. She then gave Flareth a confused look. The latter smiled back and looked to Larayna, nodding, and holding out a hand. "Right. Pass it over."

Larayna stepped for her and set the black obelisk in her hand, then peered over at Haladria. She looked to Flareth. "Interesting illusion, Flareth. Let's see if we can dispell it..." she raised one hand towards Haladria. Nothing happened, and she tipped her head to the side. "Hmmh. Not an illusion, then."

"Duh, of course I'm real." protested Haladria, frowning. "Why would I not be?"

Flareth shook her head. "I tend not to make illusions of people without due cause, Larayna." she said as she set the obelisk into a cannister on the table, sealing it in with an arcane disk set atop the mouth of the container.

"Interesting... Well, nonetheless.." Larayna said, smirking. "It will be your undoing." she pressed a hand to Flareth's back, a sharp spine portruding out of the Battlemage's chest, right through the emblem on her tabard. Blood fell to the carpet. Larayna's image warped and shifted, into that of a Succubus, holding a jagged, black metal whip which had its end through Flareth's chest.

"Well..." Flareth sputtered, eyes rolling back in her head. Haladria froze, hands clutching the armrests of her chair.

The succubus turned for Haladria, Flareth's body collapsing to the floor. "And now for the delicious apprentice..." she grinned, baring rows of jagged teeth, glinting like metal. "How should we use you?..." she mused, then her blue-glowing eyes widened and she froze.

"I've always found succubi to make the tastiest candy..." Flareth's voice echoed through the room, as her image reformed right next to the Succubus, a spike of purple energy extending from her finger through the demon's head, in one way, out the other. The elf slowly slid the spike out of the demon's noggin and the latter's corpse fell to the floor, shattering into a mass of bonbons.

Haladria jumped out of her seat and wrapped her arms around Flareth, hugging her. She also proceeded to punch her in the gut as she went. "You idiot! Why'd you wait so long?"

Flareth winced, doubling over. "Guh-I... Sorry... I was sure something was off, but I needed to know for sure..."

"And just -how- did you figure that out?" Haladria asked, not releasing her.

"Larayna... always wears black and blue underw-" she was stopped by a sudden shove and kiss.

"Pervert." Haladria smiled.

Flareth landed on her bottom, apprentice wrapped around her, and reached over for the mound of candies, unwrapping one and popping it into her mouth, then another and offering it to Haladria, who took it hastily. Flareth smirked. "I love my life... Point is, Larayna wouldn't wear red down there."

"Yeah, I got it. I don't care. All I care about is the fact that you're okay. Don't scare me like that next time, all right? Just give me a damned sign..."

"Deal." Flareth grinned. "But you may not like said sign... on the other hand, knowing you and I..."

Haladria shook her head. "What did she-No, it- bring anyhow?"

"No idea. I requested an obelisk with the transcript of an arcane formula on it, but that's not it. I suggest we don't touch it. Under any circumstances." Flareth lowered her upper body to the floor, lying down on it.

"Err... Think we should tell Thaura?" Haladria asked, making herself comfortable atop Flareth.

"Yup. A little later." Flareth grinned.

[flammos200]

Eris Serynzheri & Cieldrim Orisamitore

It was a bright, warm day. Everything seemed right in the world, even as the two, one Death Knight and one Paladin, made for the sparring grounds of the Serynzheri estate, with one Taiga in tow, as a spectator.

The two combatants were armored lightly, though in suits worked for maximum flexibility, the materials quite obviously of superior quality. One - The Death Knight, Eris - wore at her belt a couple of swords, thin and single-edged, crafted with speed and accuracy in mind, whereas the Paladin wielded one plainer sword, its pommel carrying the seal of the Silver Hand, and blade's left-handed partner being a nigh-identical weapon, only with the seal of the Serynzheri house. Both weapons looked perfectly balanced.

Eris inclined her head, drawing her swords. She straightened and smiled, legs planted firmly on the soil of the grounds. "By your move." she turned almost sideways, the leftmost sword switching to a backhanded grip.

Cieldrim in turn bowed her head and raised her two blades, grinning a little at the right one, knuckles white beneath her gauntlet around its grip. She darted quite suddenly for Eris and kicked one leg out, armored boot moving swiftly for the Death Knight's chest.

Eris barely had time to cross her blades just over her heart, the springy metal absorbing most of the impact as she slid backwards, feet digging into the ground as she went. She quickly uncrossed her swords, aiming one for Cieldrim's left pauldron, only to be met with a parry and thrust from the right, which she rapidly deflected with her off-hand blade, ending up in a fairly odd position. She blinked at Cieldrim.

The Paladin wore a little smile as she brought her sword for Eris' own shoulderpad, the flat of one of Eris' swords catching it, however and they spun against one-another, trying to drive the subsequent force away from themselves and into their enemy, whirling blades clashing time and again, producing an almost song-like noise that rang across the sparring grounds, much to the delight of the onlookers.

Eris saw an opportunity and took it, thrusting a sword for what she assumed was an exposed armpit, only to be parried off harmlessly to the side, a blade making for the side of her face. The Death Knight leaned back, and watched the sword sail over her, not touching her for a moment, and followed through with a gauntlet to the most armored part of Cieldrim's torso, a deafening bang ending their symphony.

Stepping back, Cieldrim rubbed the front of her armor with a gauntlet, and, upon noting that it hadn't been damaged in the slightest, she spun, swords whirling almost like a cartwheel down for Eris, in an overly graceful movement, matched by a low whistle as the air rolled in their fullers.

The Death Knight twisted to the side, ear perked to the hum that passed just beside it, and vertically came the swords, down and away from her, to which she retaliated with a pair of upwards slashes, wide enough that Cieldrim simply ducked under them. The Paladin grinned and twisted, another leg kicking out and forcing Eris to back off as she followed through with her swords, tips aimed at the Death Knight's shoulders.

Eris lowered her shoulders, slouching a little, and the blades slid right over them, the two people ending up in an odd sort of armored hug, one snickering, the other letting out a quiet, chirpy giggle before pushing off and swinging for Eris' brow, which seemed to be just out of reach at the time, as the sword made contact only with air.

Eris tried to follow through by lashing out at her arm, but was quickly blocked off by an armored fist hitting the side of her sword and knocking her off-balance.

Cieldrim moved in to aim a highkick towards the side of Eris' face and stopped short, her Silver Hand-sealed sword set right on the toe of the boot - should the bladed kick have connected, the sword would've sliced into her opponent as well. The Paladin smirked very slightly. "It seems I win..."

Tap-tap. Cieldrim looked down to see where the metallic tapping was coming from. She blinked, seeing Eris' swords poised on the insides of her thighs, stopping short of touch, and tapping on some of the harder metal plates. "Not quite." Eris said, smiling back. She withdrew her swords and sheathed them, inclining her head. "Thanks for this. We can pick it up again in a bit..." she said, and straightened.

Cieldrim nodded. "You're welcome." she made for the bowl of toffees left on one of the benches on the edge of the sparring grounds, right next to where Taiga sat.

Eris made for Taiga as well, and peered at her, sighing. "That was odd... Some of those blows should've connected... Severely." she said quietly to her. The other Death Knight raised an eyebrow, but it was Cieldrim's voice that came, quite reassuringly, from her other side. "Maybe you're just getting better at dodging." she suggested.

Eris nodded slowly, smiling. "Maybe..."

[flammos200]

Harness your hate. Make it useful.

Kynra Cinderstrike & Tobias Sunderholm

Freefall. The prelude to a crimson day. Kynra fell freely, grinning as her attention focused on the two Ice Trolls on the snow below. Her right arm extended and its fingers uncurled. The Troll was crushed by the falling Elf, blood whipping everywhere around the shattered corpse and the scarlet-garbed Death Knight that towered on it.

Smoldering runic-blue eyes gazed upon the still-living one. The snow around the landing site was gone, and cracks were visible in the thin ice. Kynra stepped off the corpse, and walked for the Troll that still stood, footprints of blood marring the pure-white ice.

"Where is he?" the Death Knight growled out, voice reverberating in a deathly echo.

"Wh-Who you be?! Death-Loa that come from da sky?" the Troll blurted out, stumbling backwards and slipping on the ice, landing on his rear end, eyes wide. Bone chimes rustled at his chest, some specked crimson.

"I am the death of you, if you do not tell me where he is." Kynra answered, each step she took calm as gentle snowfall, an unwavering arm pointing its index finger accusingly at the blood-specked shard of bone.

"H-Him? But he be dead, mon. What you want with a dead mon?" The Troll clutched at the small charm.

"I have no time for questions." A gesture of Kynra's hand and the Troll was lifted off his feet, held aloft by nothing save the blood in his body. It slowly started flooding his brain. "Now tell me, or die."

"Da' South! Da' South! I'll tell ya, jus' let me down!"

Kynra snapped her fingers. The Troll fell in the soft snow around him. "Speak."

. . . . .

The tower was frosted-over, yet a small chimney at its top billowed out smoke regularly, hinting to life within. Candlelight poured through the small, stained glass windows. Kynra placed her hand against the lock on the door, and manipulated the mechanism from within using a Death Grip. It clicked. She pushed it open.

Inside, the smell of burnt, yet scented herbs and lemongrass filled the air, along with an odd sort of berry tea smell. A large grandfather clock ticked away in the corner of the room, a chess table with two seats next to it. On a couch opposite the table lay a man in plain black clothing, his skin webbed by scarring to an immense degree, one of the thicker ones going right around his neck. he peered up at Kynra with bright blue eyes. "Oh... Hello. I know you, don't I?"

Kynra shut the door behind herself. "Yes. I've come to feed off you... The Endless Hunger calls, and I must sate it. You will be my meal. You're notoriously easy to kill, yet hard to keep dead, Tobias Sunderholm."

The man blinked. "Ah. I remember now... One of the three from that spider cave." he chuckled. "Yes, being frozen then shattered by your Troll friend did prove to be quite difficult to recover from. Even after the Blade sent assassins after me, which, might I add, succeeded. So, you think to absolve yourself of guilt by feeding off a man that will not stay dead?" Tobias raised an eyebrow.

Kynra nodded. "Precisely." she answered coldly. She simply stood there, motionless, staring.

Tobias sat upright and made for the fireplace, atop which a couple of porcelain cups filled with tea lay, and carried them over to Kynra. "You could've killed me already. Why haven't you? What else do you want? Tea?" he raised one of the cups to her.

Kynra took the cup, and drained it dry in moments. She exhaled a very warm, steamy breath. "Yes, thanks. That was my apetizer. Tea goes well with souls." she eyed Tobias, then the chess table, then looked back to Tobias. "I want to play a game of chess with you, Tobias. If I win, you will kill yourself. If you win, I will kill you. Do you agree?"

Tobias sipped his tea. "Let's see... If you win, I kill myself, and thus prevent any possible resurrection. Clever girl. And if I win, you kill me. I agree to your terms. Amusing how both end in my death. But that's the least of my problems. Alas, I fear you underestimate my skill in chess..." he walked over to the chess table and sat down on one of the stool, in front of the white set of chess pieces. The stool creaked quietly.

Kynra nodded. She walked for the opposite stool, and sat down, examining her black pieces, before peering over at Tobias. "Luck is better than skill."

And so they played. For a while, Kynra seemed to be winning, but Tobias' skill was truly brought to the foreground near the end, when in a flashing set of moves, he overwhelmed the defenses the Death Knight had put up, winning nigh-instantly.

Tobias clasped his hands at his front. "You're a horrible chess player." he stated, quite matter-of-factly.

Kynra shrugged. "And you're a dead man." she stood.

The human man chuckled, and spread his arms wide. "Then I go to my death by your hand... Once more." he said as he stood as well.

The Death Knight raised her hand towards his chest, and curled it into a fist, to the sickening sound of snapping bone and crushed flesh. In his final moments, Tobias Sunderholm's visage was filled with horror unending, for he was faced with the greatest fear mortal man ever had; oblivion.

. . . . .

Kynra wiped her mouth with a bloodstained handkerchief and pushed the door open, stepping out into the cold, wintry day. "Alas, Tobias Sunderholm, your wit did not measure up to your skill. By allowing yourself to be killed by me, you have committed suicide, thereby denying yourself resurrection. Any creature that refuses to fight for its life, and allows itself to be slain is treated as such." she said to the biting wind that blew. "To forsake your will to live, is to forsake your existence."

She stepped off the cobblestone, frosted-over path that led to the tower, and left behind only red footprints in the snow.

[flammos200]

Et in Arcadia ego.

Luelin Erethniel

The chamber was dark, the lights dimmed in their orange glow. It was odd... The stone should've been white, yet now it seemed a mottled sort of brown, as though it were dirty. It was indeed so, though not with marrings of a physical nature, no...

The room itself was circular in form. It had long, narrow windows near the top, which half-opened in a dome painted with starlings. Luelin had always thought they were odd birds, but she liked them. They were her favorites... It was strange, for a Blood Elf to like their colors, in a way complementing the nature of her coming work.

The air smelled faintly of ash and iron. Luelin sat in front of a pedestal at its center, a dagger with a small hoop for a guard in her hand. Across its metal, veins of deep, dark crimson seemed to run, making no dent in the blade itself, however, its surface smooth and glimmering hungrily in the surrounding half-light.

The Priestess examined the weapon, before bringing it over the center of the circular pedestal, setting its tip against the stone. I wonder if they shall see it... I hope not. Research must be carried out... She thought. She smiled to the notion of the coming task, and waved her hand at the weapon, which now floated upright above its former resting place. A quick set of whispers and the blow was dealt... Such a simple formula. So easy, yet so very hard to reproduce...

In, through the windows, poured a bright, white light, flooding the floating dagger. Down, from the starling painting came smoldering tongues of holy flame, searing into the blade, whilst the floor seemed to be covered in black silk, always gripping at the air. Within moments, the forces poured into the weapon did their job, and it fell with a dull clang to the pedestal beneath, lieing on its side, a small flame issuing from the hoop that formed its guard.

Luelin exhaled, eyes half-closing. She paused for a moment, as the spell had drained her considerably. She then picked up the dagger, and touched the flame. It was cold. Typical... She thought.

Her thoughts then directed elsewhere. A captured Scourge undead off the Dead Scar lumbered in, practically dragged by the white shackles holding its ankles and wrists, its jaw clamped shut by a similarly white and glowing clamp. Luelin gestured to the pedestal, atop which the shackled soldier was set, without complaint. It struggled against the bindings.

Luelin examined the dagger in her hand, then the shackled Scourge. She smiled. Here is where you help the world, one last time... She thought to herself as she ran the tip of the blade across the undead's rotten skin. Nothing happened as flesh was cut. She stepped back and watched.

For the next five minutes, absolutely nothing happened. Then the Scourge burst into flame and in moments, was reduced to ash. So, the incubation period for it is five minutes. Light-based diseases that only affect Undead - what will we think of next...

Regardless, I will be wiping the experiment from my memory, and stowing the research notes and the weapon away. My mind will not be tainted by such acts. I merely wanted to see if it was possible...

[flammos200]

'Manifold harmonic fields - within, the true nature of the universe becomes apparent. Layers within layers. Worlds within worlds. Inside, the heart of everything opens, and everything opens to it.

Somewhere, at the heart of everything, a metallic jaw reforms into the shape of an eternal smile.'

Kynra Cinderstrike

Frigid. Cold. Everything around is blanketed by snow, or carved from jagged ice. It is not a good place. But neither is it evil. It is simply harsh. A harsh mother, which cradles her soft, warm children in her grasp, bettering them, strengthening them, steeling them for the terrible trials to come.

Kynra Cinderstrike stood, in the middle of a blizzard, on the edge of a frozen lake, wrapped in crimson cloth, her hair stained scarlet, about her arm wrapped the strap emblazoned with runes she'd named Kal'falah a year ago. The balance of stars. The thought made her reach - and yearn for - something... that she could not place. The same thing that tugged on her very being when she gazed upon the stars at night. It was a terribly lonely feeling, but also exhilerating, as though something lay around the corner, or that would happen in the next minutes, that would alleviate her pain, her doubt, her very state.

It never came. Instead, came only the call, ever distant, yet ever present. Kynra's view was obstructed, as she could barely see her feet in the storm of snow that raged around her. She made to step on the ice, but stopped.

In front of her stood a familiar face. One as entwined with endlessness as she was - perhaps even more. Human. Male. White beard. Bluish-white hair. That grandfatherly expression he always wore. Behind eyes of runic blue, behind the head, lay crossed twin runeblades on his back. But that was not the only thing that came from there, because as if to contrast the blackened, battered armor the man wore, what seemed to be wings of bright, near-white runic energy emanated from his back. He smiled.

"...Isenthor." Kynra whispered. "How-I-We killed you..." she raised her right arm, palm facing him. "Stay back." she growled, the runes blazing their crimson glow about the strap on her limb.

"Knight Isenthor Kallenhad..." Isenthor shook his head. "You'll find your bloodwork impossible to use on me. Because it's not really me - not in the flesh at least." He took a step forward, and perhaps the blizzard filled over his previous standpoint, because he left no prints behind.

"Then what are you?" she trust her hand towards him, blades of blood issuing for the other Death Knight. They went right through, as though they weren't even there, before retracting. "That's.. impossible."

"Not entirely. I am not a person. Instead, I am a figment of your imagination. A crutch your mind has made, to help you. So is this blizzard. It is your confusion." Isen explained, his expression calm.

"So, I'm going insane? Is that it? I thought crazy people didn't know that they're crazy.." Kynra kept her guard up. Whatever this thing was, she wasn't going to let it end her. Not then... Not ever.

"Not really. Well, you could go crazy, but..." He sighed. "This blizzard is your prison. A prison you have built with your mind. Release your anguish. Reach an epiphany, and it will fade. As will I. I am merely here to guide you through it all. Now, let's not waste any more time. Your body - your real one - is starving."

Kynra looked down at herself. "I don't... feel it." she looked back up to Isenthor and shook her head. "All right, fine. Let's just get this over with... What do I have to do?"

"It's simple. Be true. Be honest. Bare yourself to everything... And let everything bare itself to you. It will not be a difficult task. Allow your emotions, your words, your thoughts to flow. Light the spark with the following: You lied. About yourself. To yourself. To those you cared for." the last few sentences he spoke were biting. They carried an edge Kynra had never heard him use in life.

The Kaldorei frowned. "I did what I had to do. If she would've known the true extent of my nature, she would've been unhappy. I know... she said that she understood, and accepted everything about me, but... She would think differently if she knew what I was."

"So you lied."

"Yes, I lied. But I lied out of want for her happiness! A little happiness is better than long-lasting unhappiness. I'd rather give someone a taste of good and kindness, only to later have them suffer for a little and move on, than leave them in their sorry state. Is that really so wrong?" Kynra demanded, growling furiously.

"You knew she was in a 'sorry state', and still, you hung on to her. Feeding her illusion. Giving her that which can never be. Didn't you think that when it would be dispelled, she would only come to more suffering? Didn't you think that it would hurt her immensely? Didn't you think that it would shatter her?" Isenthor answered, in kind.

"I... did..." Kynra drew a long breath. "But I wanted her to smile. At least for a time. Just.. give her some happy memories. Damn it... It never... happens the way I'd like it to. I'm an idiot for wanting that which can never be, and I inevitably end up hurting others for what I want... But with this one, I just wanted happiness. Is it so wrong of me to lie in order to preserve happiness? Even that of the illusory kind?"

"That's for you to realize. Keep going. Now, you just wanted to make her happy... Tell me, how did you think she'd look on the memories you gave her once illusion broke? Didn't you think she'd resent you? Didn't you think her smiles, her happiness, everything good she'd felt during those times would now sicken her?"

"It was the best thing to do at the time. Just... Damn it, I just wanted her to be happy. Just that... Everything was taken from me. My friends. My... bond. My coworkers. Everything. So I just roamed the wastes. She found me... She sheltered me. She fed me. She did everything she ever could for me. And how did I repay it? With pain. I'm a monster... I know that much. But I try, damn it! I try doing good.."

"And yet you've hurt the only person that ever showed you complete and unconditional compassion. You stuck a knife in the heart that opened up to you."

"I didn't want to! I didn't... want to..." Kynra sighed, looking down. "There's nothing I can do to fix it. Not now. All I can do is accept what I've done. I'll bear the consequences of it all eventually. I.. just... wanted her to be happy. And if I could give her that happiness for just a few moments, I would be satisfied for eternity. Even if afterwards, it would be taken from her. That is simply what I am. I am an impulsive creature. Call me a freak. Call me a moster. Call me a destroyer of lives. But I am that which I am... And if I have to lie, kill, cheat, steal, or die for someone's happiness, or to preserve it, I will." Kynra glared at the man.

Isenthor smiled. He clapped his hands together again and again, and the blizzard seemed to subside. "Very well... You're given another chance. Make use of it. Or perish for their happiness..." Each clap seemed to make him fade a little, until he became translucent, then transparent, then he was nothing, and only gentle snowfall came from above, and the air was clear in all directions.

"Kynra... It's snowing stars..." Isenthor's voice whispered one last time before she would never hear it again. Kynra looked up sharply, and to her, it seemed that the snowflakes glowed brightly. It was an immensely relieving sight, but she felt something was unfinished.

She kept gazing at the sky as she turned, and walked along the frozen lake's shore. Her foot caught the root of a tree, which had been covered by snow, out of sight. She fell to the ground with a soft thump, and gazed along it, out over the lake. She heard something, but she didn't pay any heed to it. Then she saw a pair of hooves in front of her face. She saw the cracks in them. She saw the small tufts of fur just above them. She saw the muscles, the blood vessels and the bone. She smiled, then blinked.

Gwen'tel?! "Guh?!" she blurted out at the hooves, then looked up.

And then, Kynra understood...

. . . . .

'I hold a scrap of paper in the darkness and light it. I watch it burn bright and curl, disappearing into nothingness, and the heat burns my fingers. Where has it gone? What has it become? I cannot shake the feeling that I have witnessed a form of transcendence.'

Both the start and end quotes are from Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.