Midnight : City of the goddesses alter
"I'm a good weapon", his lips trembled , fervent, pleading ."I'm powerful!! easily controlled !!! please -- I- I'll do anything you ask, anything at all", The grubby man's fingers squeak against Ozius's leather pants, wrinkling her nose in annoyance as the god man continues,
"I CAN MAKE YOU KING !!! the people those FOOLS believe what I preach. .Sire--"
Blood pools into the cathedral once again as the priest's limp body flops into a heap. A low growl escapes her , the deep red coating her fur glistening in red moonlight. footsteps echo throughout the halls, broken furniture and bodies strewn across the holy tiles. She steals a glance a the goddess, her ivory veil and carved white marble stature now almost entirely dyed red and dripping .
Pain envelops her senses as he shifts , matted grey fur melting into pasty light skin, dragging her palms across her face she feels the claws retreat , fatigue ripples along her body coupled with crackling bones.
She meets the statue's grey hollow eyes once more as her fingers brush against a faint scar on her wrist, tracing the two identical punchers before planting both her palms at the foot of the statue. her knees meet the floor with a thump.
" Goddess! " she bellows her hands folded in worship "Lady Light, Your followers have gone astray. grant me passage to my beloved... and I'll ensure their demise. Do what you wish with their decrepit souls, just promise to me his life". she declares, scoffing at her own arrogance as the ties ripple beneath her feet.
blood snaking through the tile and stone crevices draw runes around her as she grins wide at the goddess, she whispers a quiet thanks as the ground swallows her whole...8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLNvKzTo39
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Roughly 55 summers ago
Missing posters litter the town hall notice board, two of which had turned up dead. Bounty Hunter Ozius stares at an envelop instead . Royal blue with a ruby red seal. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRkktR5zTj
A bounty she cannot refuse. a snobby noble man had been one of the bodies, the high society scrambled in panic.
The bodies were sickly pale , drained of blood.
"Vampires" she growled.
she would gnaw off her right hand before willingly dealing with those blood suckers but alas her client had done their due diligence hence she will have to do hers.
She pulls on her mask to adjust it once more. the stench multiplied every few steps, the mortuary is right about the corner. attempting to breath through her mouth she turns into an ally. its dank and gnarly ,, wrinkling her nose for the millionth time this day she trudges the stone floors contemplating every decision leading to this day. Her pace quickens ..the stench now un bearable to her heightened senses. she turns to another corner leading out to the main path instantly colliding into someone in her haste as a mass of parchment paper explodes between them .
A boy no man squeaks in surprise before scrambling to gather his possessions, she follows suit. 'its the least she could do after quite literally running the man over' .
The pages are filled with anatomical sketches, she muses at the level of detail as she quickly skims the content before handing it back to him, the man flashes her a grateful smile dusting himself off the ground. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTVBRqBMc4
she mumbles her apologies which he politely waves off, his breath is ragged, a shine of sweat coats his exposed tan skin making it look somewhat pale and hollow.
"I wasn't focused on the road you see" he fidgets ,"I was in a hurry to get back inside" her ears twitch slightly.. you see unlike popular belief vampires do not turn into ash at the slightest hint of sunlight, instead it drains them, the become sluggish, sweaty and nauseous , like they've caught a flu of some sorts ... she studies the man once more as a faint blush sneaks into his ears as he hurries to wipe his palms as best he could before extending one towards her. She takes it .
"Oof! Sorry - Arsha , district leach"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8mCSPKDuw
"Leach?"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOkg6N0sIz
" Yes its a new title , I work over at the morgue downtown " He stops himself,8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrHRGlZReD
" I see ... Leach ..." the word rolls off her tongue like sweet venom.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrjmx8JkzL
"Ozius , Traveler" she grins as he attempts trying to shake off her grip.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkCz2Wsgjb
"I'm terribly sorry but , as I said I am in a hurry so-" she shifts to the side effectively blocking his path.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lqlIC9Pou
" Oh! I'm headed the same way. You see I'm a bit lost " she hums letting him go," You wouldn't abandon a lady in distress would you?".
his eyes dart around , The interaction gathered quite an audience.
"No, I suppose not " he relents furrowing his brows. there's an un-natural gleam in his eyes when they meet her own ." although you are far from a 'lady in destress' ".
-------8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMGgd3baKl
" What do you want Bounty Hunter?" his claws barely tickle her throat . maybe this would have intimidated her if he wasn't trembling like a newborn fawn. The summer heat beats down on him. If she wanted to she cold easily knock him out with a flick of her wrist,
and she does.
or at least tries to, The wall behind him splinters into intricate webs of plaster and cement. his glare still piercing as before, storms of gold and umber sparkling in the sunlight. she quickly shields them with her palm. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOdkhlA6zZ
" If- If it's about the bodies.. It's not me." he strains,8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqIipald6G
"Now why on earth would I believe that'" she growls back, "You slimy lot always scheming ... "8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHGXJrIhnx
" I DIDN'T DO IT!! I have no need for hunting mutt!!! " he shoves her. "there's a reason I'm a mortician".
Alright she's had enough. Her bones and skin begin to shift under her coat ,there's a struggled cough as she wraps her hands along his throat, claws digging into his skin as little droplets if red seep into fur.
-- CLICK --
There's a gun pointing at her back .
" let him go " a voice chimes from behind, its high pitched and undoubtedly of a child, " It's loaded with silver " the child warns.
Ozius huffs in amusement as she tilts to meet the eyes of her new assailant. Violet grey eyes stare into hers, the gremlin barely reaches her hip but the gun is held steady. A mop of curly white hair and ivory skin, coupled with raw conviction and cold determination.
the child doesn't speak again.
She watches as a storm of wheezing heaves and coughs fill the silence.
" Mave-" a whisper , a breath uttered in care and great caution, In an instant the child's demeanor changes... changes is a light word , it is as if a switch had been flipped. breaking their silent staring contest the child's eyes begin to tear up and her lips tremble .
With a push and a shove the vampire and child disappear into clouds of dust. Leaving the huntress with pages of medical journals strewn in the ally and a set of unanswered questions.
There was a mention of only one Vampire in the under city... She curses herself, Of course it's not that simple ... When were things ever that simple.
Glancing at the littered parchment she sighs.. maybe she ought to pay them a visit.
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Few days have past since the incident. Huntress scribbles down on the paper work harder then necessary, coworkers spare a concerned glance at her before fearfully scampering off to their corner.
That blood sucker was right. It wasn't him . Yellowing parchment weighed heavy in her conscience. Grumbling she walks over and drops her paperwork into its designated drawer but not before grabbing the set of yellowed parchment and shoving it into a new envelope.
"IM TAKING THE DAY OFF" she announces to no one in particular before heading out the enormous doors of the town hall.
The walk to the mortuary was just as annoyingly complex as she had experienced before, the building is old and worn, she glares at the dark mahogany of the door, slightly crumpling the envelope and paper bag she bought along with her.
If she is to earn their forgiveness a bag of treats ought to do it for the child or at least that's what she thought. Orange of the dusk now fading to purple.
" You are not welcome here "
Ozius flinches just a little , how does this girl manage to catch her off guard twice non the less. She opens her mouth to make her case but the child merely scoffs at her.
"you tried to kill my family"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85EScqM9zt
"Look Mave-"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwk8iJfnfSE
"Mable."8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9yzFk7Hb8
" Mable. I'm sorry for what I did. I will not attempt to excuse my actions, they were dis-tasteful of me. "8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQESfWyFfGB
Mable shifts her weight from one side to the other quietly eyeing the bag of candy. the girl however takes a step back when offered it to her. much to the huntresses frustration, she doesn't recall kids being this stubborn. Lost in thought she doesn't quite register the click of the lock behind her, it only comes to her attention after Mable skips past her as a dusky voice interrupts her musing. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDJatn8uzH
"Bounty Hunter. "
" Vampire."
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"Mable. It is rude to glare at someone while they eat."8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVcBWd0sQe
" What if she drives a stake into your heart while I'm not looking?"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FsgbxoUOF
"That's not going to happen"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtrDuBLEfx
"But-"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnvBn3QQC5
"finish your meal Mable"8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBzMtK70Mi
The little girl scrunches her nose at the comment ignoring her plate in favor of staring the huntress down. The soup itself is rich in flavor with potatoes and carrots cut in funny little shapes. She glances at the vampire's dish which appeared darker in color than her own. His complexion seemed richer and more lively against the blackout windows , the bruises around his neck almost healed. She had apologized, and he'd accepted yet catching glimpses of their squabble sent a wave of unease down her spine every time. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KdFOHQ3nG
At the end of the meal he walks her to the door, His tiny knight deep in slumber. the night sky glittered in tiny specks of light . he hesitates looking around at the porch before insisting the huntress wait for just a moment. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEebkA9Lsn
He returns with a strange object wrapped in layers of paper .8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjO1tHY4BxA
"I believe this is yours, and uh... try not to threaten the next bloke you runover at the ally way" ,he smiles. the moonlight reflects off his fangs .8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiabD00Q2nA
if she hadn't thought him beautiful on the first day under the oppressive sun gold and umber dancing in his eyes , she sure did now . Bathed in moonlight leaning against the door frame she watches from the far gates as he waves her goodbye.
Present
The night dragged on forever as countless screams echo through the city streets. hell fire raged inside the many buildings and lodgings of high society. Followers of the Goddess lay strewn about limp and lifeless. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdXGgc9CCK
Among the burning embers and chaos stood an alter , pit filled with wood and oil meant to burn brighter than the sun.. Tied to the very center of this alter lies her barely conscious beloved. cuts and bruises riddled his body, a jagged scar ran from his temple down to his cheek .
The fear of the plague had run rampant throughout the city in her absence. accusations of witchcraft and foul play left the people to suspect and isolate from one another.
She spares a glace at the bodies strewn about. hugging her beloved closer in her arms, 'How tragic of these mortals seeking to sacrifice their only savior '. They've got what they desire, True salvation for all the sins they have accumulated ,
DEATH8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwnJJaIWpi
The runes appear around her once more, The goddess seems to be pleased with her work , inviting them into deep slumber. maybe the next time they awaken the world of mortals will be much kinder. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHg2sp3U3I
and then Add to home screen.