====================
Pencil note entered in a less messy than normal hand, dated 30/8/08
====================
Its been a long time since i've had as sleepless a week as that.
Her Ladyship got cursed by that backstabbin, team killin, cock-bitin, pus-suckin, low down dirty deceiver tha Blood Matriarch if tha KA, Spirit. Cursed her and knocked her down, made her writhe in agony and wamdered off cacklin. Then she just popped back off and seemed like nothin had happened. But it had. We just didn't know what yet.
I copped a fair amount of strick fer my part in tha Ritual ta bring back tha Fountain. Figure i deserve it too. I've spent tha last week worryin if i did tha right thing. Did I hand over tha means fer tha KA ta take over Tox? Are they gonna come fer us? Are they gunna rise up and wipe my Kin off tha map? Quiet had tha balls ta try ta chew me out fer speakin fer all Lycan. She'd do well ta clean tha spooge outta her earholes and listen ta tha words that came outta my mouth. This is what i said:
"Some months ago a group of Lycan agitators took action against tha Blood Fountain in a coordinated and well-planned commando raid. With the use of a tactical sub-fissile backpack charge, apparently sourced from the British SAS. Their objective was ta cripple the Kindred population of Tox dependent on the Fountain for hunt-free feedin. What they achieved was an epic reprisal against the Lycan population. The Pack has only just recovered. Even non-Pack or unaffiliated Lycans needed to keep their tails out of the fire fer several weeks as a result. Me included. That’s why I’m here, fer tha Institute. Ta help make right what my Kin did. I speak as Praetor of tha Omegan Institute, heading this Ritual from our end."
I suppose ya could read that as me sayin i was doin it fer all tha Lycans. Maybe. If ya were spoinin fer trouble. Some folks always are. Anyways. I did it fer me, and fer my concience. and ta maybe make up fer all tha bad things i did in uniform on someone elses' orders. a Public works service if ya like. Buildin schools and well, wells. So it pisses me off when people bitch. If its so bloody bad, they can just blow it it up again. Whats tha big bloody deal?
Turns out Her Ladyship's curse? Tellin dangerous, damagin lies. Harsh. We're a source of infermation, research. Folks come ta us fer fer advice. They trust us ta be neutral. That backstabber took that away from us all. Because Her ladyship is our leader. She's tha one we all look to, and people ask Her fer things.
So I spent all bloody week runnin about tryin ta make sense of what was goin on, then once i realised, tryin ta sort out a way ta fix it, or find someone who could. Broken bodies? i can fix. Wounds and mangled limbs? Busted buildins or talkin ta spirits? I yer Shifter. Broken and messed up minds? well . . . i'm not too bad a campside shrink, but, thats it. Brain hoodoo? ya need a pro. Ta cover my bases, i asked about, tried tha Covenites, but in tha end, tried and true.
I hadn;t slept since tha night of tha Ritual, and was gettin pretty bloody bleary by Friday, almost a week. Harsh even fer me. Spirit Gal caught on, after i bumped inta a few things and spurred my sleech a bit. Did some of her Workin on me herself. Slipped me a mystical mickey and i finally got some kip.
We got Severus ta do it. He's got tha skills and tha will ta do it too. Put her in a trance, and set about fixin her up. Took a long time at it, so i can only presume he did it good, and that it was hard work. Burt up his hands somethin fierce in tha process, and after some heafty browbeatin, he let me try ta heal him, least i could do. Seems he thinks my meddlin wont do him no good. Thinks tha Old Bad Daddy has it in fer him would stop anythin i tried. Well. As it happens, i serve a power that dont care much what tha Old Bad Daddy thinks, so i let rip.
Bloody odd thing happened. i think i got my wires crossed, and chaneled some proper Hoodoo, like from Africa. Older than Old. Might have just done tha trick.
Her Ladyship seemed, un-Cursed, if not fully right as rain, but i took that as a job well done, and passed out. When i came too, tha New Moon was risin, and i got Fleshified in time ta DJ on tha wireless.
Long fuckin week, Happy endin.
Oh, and i started some random craziness by rushin off durrin my set and snoggin Spirit gal fer her troubles.
Yay our side.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Trust
In a pack ya have ta trust yer packmates. Ta hunt, ta bring down prey, ta live through tha tough times. Thats Family ta me. Ta watch each other's six, and keep it warm. We trust each other cause thats all we got. More so when yer in tha service. Ya trust tha uniform, even if ya don't know tha one in tha rack next ta ya, or in tha foxhole or chargin tha machine guns.
Trust that once is broken takes a long time ta recover, if at all.
Thats why i, err, left tha 7RAR-L, and tha Pack. It's also why i put my very only body in tha line of fire fer tha Institute. Over and over i'd do it. Because they're Family. Best i ever had. I trust em. All tha ones i know, i trust. Knowledge of a thing brings understandin. Once ya understand tha way somethin is, ya can trust it ta be that thing.
Even ta be in tha Institute gives a certail level of trust. We look pretty close at our members, befer we invite em in. Usually that plays out well. Takes a certain kinda person ta sign up with us in tha first place. Tha rest? we gotta learn about em, watch em, understand em. When ya understand somethin, ya can trust it. Same goes with people.
Lestat is a good example. Came to us from somewhere that wasn't a Family. I can tell. He can tell. I seen tha look of tha lone wolf in his eyes. He's watchin us all. testin us, waitin fer tha knife in tha back. Testin and waitin so hard he stabbed Spirit Gal intha belly and was gunna throat her till we caught him and talked him down.
He doesn't get why, maybe, fer now, why we didn't turn on him. Because we're Family. Maybe, in time, he'll learn what that means. Till then? We watch him, he's an assett ta any that whould have him, or else Her Ladyship wouldn't have recruited him. We wait fer him ta learn ta trust him. We learn about him so we can trust.
Reminded me of when i was in Basic. Learnin ta be part of my new Family, tha 7RAR-L. We did this thing, runnin, and singin, all of us tagether. Kinda brought us closer, even singin about what'd likely ahppen ta us. I guess its dumb. Won't work on Lestat, he's . . . been lookin fer daggers too long, but, it got me ta thinkin.
Here's one of tha somgs i remember.
Lycan Ranger:
Lyc-eh-eh-en Ran-ger-er-er-er-er
Deep in the battlefield fur matted with blood
Lay an Lycan Ranger dying in the mud
Lyc-eh-eh-en Ran-ger-er-er-er-er
Those silver wounds deep in his chest
tell the world he was one of the best
Lyc-eh-eh-en Ranger-er-er-er-er
No shrine or stone or mark for he
only this song we sing for thee
Lyc-eh-eh-en Ran-ger-er-er-er-er
of tooth and claw and fur we pray
that rage will bring us blood this day
maybe it IS tha way ta get through ta him.
Trust that once is broken takes a long time ta recover, if at all.
Thats why i, err, left tha 7RAR-L, and tha Pack. It's also why i put my very only body in tha line of fire fer tha Institute. Over and over i'd do it. Because they're Family. Best i ever had. I trust em. All tha ones i know, i trust. Knowledge of a thing brings understandin. Once ya understand tha way somethin is, ya can trust it ta be that thing.
Even ta be in tha Institute gives a certail level of trust. We look pretty close at our members, befer we invite em in. Usually that plays out well. Takes a certain kinda person ta sign up with us in tha first place. Tha rest? we gotta learn about em, watch em, understand em. When ya understand somethin, ya can trust it. Same goes with people.
Lestat is a good example. Came to us from somewhere that wasn't a Family. I can tell. He can tell. I seen tha look of tha lone wolf in his eyes. He's watchin us all. testin us, waitin fer tha knife in tha back. Testin and waitin so hard he stabbed Spirit Gal intha belly and was gunna throat her till we caught him and talked him down.
He doesn't get why, maybe, fer now, why we didn't turn on him. Because we're Family. Maybe, in time, he'll learn what that means. Till then? We watch him, he's an assett ta any that whould have him, or else Her Ladyship wouldn't have recruited him. We wait fer him ta learn ta trust him. We learn about him so we can trust.
Reminded me of when i was in Basic. Learnin ta be part of my new Family, tha 7RAR-L. We did this thing, runnin, and singin, all of us tagether. Kinda brought us closer, even singin about what'd likely ahppen ta us. I guess its dumb. Won't work on Lestat, he's . . . been lookin fer daggers too long, but, it got me ta thinkin.
Here's one of tha somgs i remember.
Lycan Ranger:
Lyc-eh-eh-en Ran-ger-er-er-er-er
Deep in the battlefield fur matted with blood
Lay an Lycan Ranger dying in the mud
Lyc-eh-eh-en Ran-ger-er-er-er-er
Those silver wounds deep in his chest
tell the world he was one of the best
Lyc-eh-eh-en Ranger-er-er-er-er
No shrine or stone or mark for he
only this song we sing for thee
Lyc-eh-eh-en Ran-ger-er-er-er-er
of tooth and claw and fur we pray
that rage will bring us blood this day
maybe it IS tha way ta get through ta him.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Blood Fountain Ritual
Full proposal of the Blood Fountain ritual:
ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS
Faction Heads: Omega Althouse & Spirit Lilliehook
OI Senior Ritualist (for this ritual): GrrBrool Lycan
KA Senior Ritualist: Head attending KA Scholar (Elamyrath Bracken)
KA Ritualist #1: (TBA)
OI Ritualist #1: (Joah Menjou)
KA Ritualist #2: (TBA)
OI Ritualist #2: (Severus Seversky)
1- resources already with the people involved in the Ritual: -
--------------------
- The Bloodstone (in possession of Omega Althouse)
- Amounts of Blood taken from all KA members (in keeping of the KA Scholars)
- Blood Rituals Book (with the KA Scholars)
- Enchanting Prayers of ancient gods (Known by Omegans)
2 - Resources required for the Ritual
Blood from willing donors (sufficient quantity to cause donor to pass out)
- Angel
- Demon
- Feline
- Human
- Lycan
- Mutant
- Supernatural
- Vampire
- Cybernetic
3- Steps of the ritual: -
--------------------
A- Both Spirit and Omega will address the gathering.
((Spirit speech))
((Omega speech))
B- the two Senior Ritualists, (both KA and Omegan) will address the Gathering and explain what will occur.
**OI Senior Ritualist**
Some months ago a group of Lycan agitators took action against tha Blood Fountain in a coordinated and well-planned commando raid. With the use of a tactical sub-fissile backpack charge, apparently sourced from the British SAS. Their objective was ta cripple the Kindred population of Tox dependent on the Fountain for hunt-free feedin. What they achieved was an epic reprisal against the Lycan population. The Pack has only just recovered. Even non-Pack or unaffiliated Lycans needed to keep their tails out of the fire fer several weeks as a result. Me included. That’s why I’m here, fer tha Institute. Ta help make right what my Kin did. I speak as Praetor of tha Omegan Institute, heading this Ritual from our end.
**KA Senior Ritualist**
The local Kindred, cut off from their steady food supply turned to their age-old prey, the Living. Those with regular feeding partners were less affected, needing to guard their Kine more than usual, and pay attention to the predations of their own kind.
**OI Senior Ritualist**
The Hospital was raided, its stocks depleted. The Haven’s small supply was drunk dry. Even the Vet clinic was emptied. Tha citizens of Toxia had ta look ta each other even more with tha further strained trauma support of its medical faculties. They had ta watch their backs and necks as the Hunger started to take its toll on their Kindred neighbors.
**KA Senior Ritualist**
The Kindred Alliance Faction reeled under the attack to their sacred site, the magic feeding source they has guarded for so long. There were numerous investigations as to how to rebuild it. Eventually, their came to light an artifact that was truly required. The Bloodstone. The city was nearly unreturned in the search for it, rumors abounded as to where it was, who had it, who took it from them, and where it currently resides.
C- Some Ka Duelist Sentries with help of other KA members will circle the area of the rituals to make sure its secure and for no-one or nothing to interrupt. OiB agents may provide Close Personal Security for Lady Omega and the Bloodstone.
D –KA (Elder Scholar) Ritualists #1 and #2 start chanting from the Rituals Book to call the spirits of the ancient Vampire souls and Vlad soul to comes and witnesses the restoration saying:
**KA Ritualist #1** "In far lands of Death'
**KA Ritualist #2** "Our Forefathers lives"
**KA Ritualist #1** "In Dark Times and Night'
**KA Ritualist #2** "We call them upon us"
**KA Ritualist #1** "On Blood river we shall...once again swim"
**KA Ritualist #2** "So here we do plea...for home you shall come"
**KA Ritualist #1** " To Witness your Chylder.
**KA Ritualist #2** “ Their Victories... thy will be done"
E - Senior Ritualists call on Spirit and Omega, to offer and receive the Bloodstone and add it to the Fountain, hand-in-hand.
Bloodstone:
**OI Senior Ritualist**
This Ancient Kindred artifact, it’s an enchanted entity in and of itself, and when active, bleeds continuously from its surface. It may just look like a heart shaped lump of Aeolian sandstone but it is more. It has a life force, bestowed upon it by ancient Blood and Soul magics, and tha blood it exudes is of no particular race, or type. The blood exuded is filtered by the stone itself and is always free from contaminants at tha source.
**KA Senior Ritualist**
It is highly likely that the magics tied to it collect the blood through time and space from the stones on which blood offerings have been made since pre-history; the blood that soaked into Roman altars, down the steps of Aztec ziggurats, onto the sand of the Massai-mara. The seeping of blood from those offerings makes its way into the artifact now known simply as the Bloodstone, residing within Toxia.
F- The chant of accepting the sacrifice will begin with the Senior Ritualists taking turns to recite:
**OI Senior Ritualist** "We offer Thee precious Blood,
**OI Senior Ritualist** Shed for us through exceeding Love,
**KA Senior Ritualist** And with the pain of Life, freely given
**KA Senior Ritualist** From the wound of the supplicants right hand;
**OI Senior Ritualist** Through the merits and virtues of which,
**OI Senior Ritualist** We beseech Thy divine Majesty
**KA Senior Ritualist** To bestow on us Thy sacred benediction,
**KA Senior Ritualist** That by its efficacy"
**KA Senior Ritualist** We may be protected from deprivation,
**KA Senior Ritualist** And delivered from every hunger.
**OI Senior Ritualist** For this purpose we say:
**OI Senior Ritualist** Give us this boon, this Source.
**KA Senior Ritualist** Free us from the base urges
**KA Senior Ritualist** That we may Feed, and grow.
**OI Senior Ritualist** Be at peace in these troubled times.
**OI Senior Ritualist** And know that all are One.
the donors begin to donate their blood from a cut to the right (and pass out at the end of the Ritual, before being healed by the magics of the Ritual)
G- Forming circle of 4 Ritualist both KA and Omegans, each in turn reciting from a scroll they were provided with.
---------------------------------
**OI Ritualist #1**
-=The Sacred=-
The Ancients regarded blood sacrifice as the most powerful way to appease the gods. Bloodletting, the dance of Ch'ulel, is a sacred act.
Blood is holy; to give it to the gods is a grand act of piety, especially if that blood is your own.
The “People of the Book” tell the tale that Abel was obeying what was already an ancient tradition when he sacrificed the firstborn of his herds to his God.
Bulls were sacred to Egyptians more than 5,000 years ago, being associated with Taurus, a god with both animal and human features. For the Egyptians, then, the sacrifice of a bull was the gift of a demigod to the gods.
---------------------------------
Second Part
**KA Ritualist #1**
-=The Hungry Mind=-
Participants in blood sacrifice rituals experience a sense of awe, danger, or exaltation because they are daring to approach the gods who create, sustain, and take life.
Blood sacrifice at border crossings (often marked by rivers) and within buildings was thought to be prudent offerings. So it is this night. The Fountain marks the crossing,
-------------------------------------
Third part
**OI Ritualist #2**
-=The Ancient=-
The origins of blood sacrifice are lost in the mist of prehistory. Few now walk that remember the beginnings. Nevertheless, according to ancient rites of sacrifice, the sacrifice should be of high value. The gods would be offended by a sickly or inferior offering.
------------------------------
4th part
**KA Ritualist #2**
-=The Hidden=-
It is unknown where the blood of the Bloodstone that powers the fountain originates; it is of no specific race, not “type”. It simply is. It is a sacred gift to all the Kindred of Toxia. It has never been free from risk; it is a public space, albeit within the walls of the Kindred Alliance. It has been tainted, but it recovered, it has been desecrated, but it has not been restored. Until now.
**OI Senior Ritualist** With this blessing, it is Done. "Meishoo iyiook enkai inkishu o-nkera"
**KA Senior Ritualist** "May the Creator give us sustenance and vitae for all His Childer.
((cue Fountain to start working))
((Speech from Spirit))
The Blood Fruit
**OI Senior Ritualist**
Using seeds from Her First Garden, Her Ladyship Omega will offer ta plant fruiting trees around tha Blood Fountain. These will be enhanced and cared for by tha Kindred Alliance and in tha presence of the fountain, they will germinate and grow, quickened by the magic’s of the restoration, and nourished by the seeping blood of the Fountain, they will bear fruits nourishing to Kindred.
**KA Senior Ritualist**
((does the planting ritual))
((end of planned RP))
{{BACKSTABBERY BY SPIRIT HERE}}
Written by GrrBrool Lykin, Praetor Omegan Institute (and Marwan Paine, KA BloodKnight)
ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS
Faction Heads: Omega Althouse & Spirit Lilliehook
OI Senior Ritualist (for this ritual): GrrBrool Lycan
KA Senior Ritualist: Head attending KA Scholar (Elamyrath Bracken)
KA Ritualist #1: (TBA)
OI Ritualist #1: (Joah Menjou)
KA Ritualist #2: (TBA)
OI Ritualist #2: (Severus Seversky)
1- resources already with the people involved in the Ritual: -
--------------------
- The Bloodstone (in possession of Omega Althouse)
- Amounts of Blood taken from all KA members (in keeping of the KA Scholars)
- Blood Rituals Book (with the KA Scholars)
- Enchanting Prayers of ancient gods (Known by Omegans)
2 - Resources required for the Ritual
Blood from willing donors (sufficient quantity to cause donor to pass out)
- Angel
- Demon
- Feline
- Human
- Lycan
- Mutant
- Supernatural
- Vampire
- Cybernetic
3- Steps of the ritual: -
--------------------
A- Both Spirit and Omega will address the gathering.
((Spirit speech))
((Omega speech))
B- the two Senior Ritualists, (both KA and Omegan) will address the Gathering and explain what will occur.
**OI Senior Ritualist**
Some months ago a group of Lycan agitators took action against tha Blood Fountain in a coordinated and well-planned commando raid. With the use of a tactical sub-fissile backpack charge, apparently sourced from the British SAS. Their objective was ta cripple the Kindred population of Tox dependent on the Fountain for hunt-free feedin. What they achieved was an epic reprisal against the Lycan population. The Pack has only just recovered. Even non-Pack or unaffiliated Lycans needed to keep their tails out of the fire fer several weeks as a result. Me included. That’s why I’m here, fer tha Institute. Ta help make right what my Kin did. I speak as Praetor of tha Omegan Institute, heading this Ritual from our end.
**KA Senior Ritualist**
The local Kindred, cut off from their steady food supply turned to their age-old prey, the Living. Those with regular feeding partners were less affected, needing to guard their Kine more than usual, and pay attention to the predations of their own kind.
**OI Senior Ritualist**
The Hospital was raided, its stocks depleted. The Haven’s small supply was drunk dry. Even the Vet clinic was emptied. Tha citizens of Toxia had ta look ta each other even more with tha further strained trauma support of its medical faculties. They had ta watch their backs and necks as the Hunger started to take its toll on their Kindred neighbors.
**KA Senior Ritualist**
The Kindred Alliance Faction reeled under the attack to their sacred site, the magic feeding source they has guarded for so long. There were numerous investigations as to how to rebuild it. Eventually, their came to light an artifact that was truly required. The Bloodstone. The city was nearly unreturned in the search for it, rumors abounded as to where it was, who had it, who took it from them, and where it currently resides.
C- Some Ka Duelist Sentries with help of other KA members will circle the area of the rituals to make sure its secure and for no-one or nothing to interrupt. OiB agents may provide Close Personal Security for Lady Omega and the Bloodstone.
D –KA (Elder Scholar) Ritualists #1 and #2 start chanting from the Rituals Book to call the spirits of the ancient Vampire souls and Vlad soul to comes and witnesses the restoration saying:
**KA Ritualist #1** "In far lands of Death'
**KA Ritualist #2** "Our Forefathers lives"
**KA Ritualist #1** "In Dark Times and Night'
**KA Ritualist #2** "We call them upon us"
**KA Ritualist #1** "On Blood river we shall...once again swim"
**KA Ritualist #2** "So here we do plea...for home you shall come"
**KA Ritualist #1** " To Witness your Chylder.
**KA Ritualist #2** “ Their Victories... thy will be done"
E - Senior Ritualists call on Spirit and Omega, to offer and receive the Bloodstone and add it to the Fountain, hand-in-hand.
Bloodstone:
**OI Senior Ritualist**
This Ancient Kindred artifact, it’s an enchanted entity in and of itself, and when active, bleeds continuously from its surface. It may just look like a heart shaped lump of Aeolian sandstone but it is more. It has a life force, bestowed upon it by ancient Blood and Soul magics, and tha blood it exudes is of no particular race, or type. The blood exuded is filtered by the stone itself and is always free from contaminants at tha source.
**KA Senior Ritualist**
It is highly likely that the magics tied to it collect the blood through time and space from the stones on which blood offerings have been made since pre-history; the blood that soaked into Roman altars, down the steps of Aztec ziggurats, onto the sand of the Massai-mara. The seeping of blood from those offerings makes its way into the artifact now known simply as the Bloodstone, residing within Toxia.
F- The chant of accepting the sacrifice will begin with the Senior Ritualists taking turns to recite:
**OI Senior Ritualist** "We offer Thee precious Blood,
**OI Senior Ritualist** Shed for us through exceeding Love,
**KA Senior Ritualist** And with the pain of Life, freely given
**KA Senior Ritualist** From the wound of the supplicants right hand;
**OI Senior Ritualist** Through the merits and virtues of which,
**OI Senior Ritualist** We beseech Thy divine Majesty
**KA Senior Ritualist** To bestow on us Thy sacred benediction,
**KA Senior Ritualist** That by its efficacy"
**KA Senior Ritualist** We may be protected from deprivation,
**KA Senior Ritualist** And delivered from every hunger.
**OI Senior Ritualist** For this purpose we say:
**OI Senior Ritualist** Give us this boon, this Source.
**KA Senior Ritualist** Free us from the base urges
**KA Senior Ritualist** That we may Feed, and grow.
**OI Senior Ritualist** Be at peace in these troubled times.
**OI Senior Ritualist** And know that all are One.
the donors begin to donate their blood from a cut to the right (and pass out at the end of the Ritual, before being healed by the magics of the Ritual)
G- Forming circle of 4 Ritualist both KA and Omegans, each in turn reciting from a scroll they were provided with.
---------------------------------
**OI Ritualist #1**
-=The Sacred=-
The Ancients regarded blood sacrifice as the most powerful way to appease the gods. Bloodletting, the dance of Ch'ulel, is a sacred act.
Blood is holy; to give it to the gods is a grand act of piety, especially if that blood is your own.
The “People of the Book” tell the tale that Abel was obeying what was already an ancient tradition when he sacrificed the firstborn of his herds to his God.
Bulls were sacred to Egyptians more than 5,000 years ago, being associated with Taurus, a god with both animal and human features. For the Egyptians, then, the sacrifice of a bull was the gift of a demigod to the gods.
---------------------------------
Second Part
**KA Ritualist #1**
-=The Hungry Mind=-
Participants in blood sacrifice rituals experience a sense of awe, danger, or exaltation because they are daring to approach the gods who create, sustain, and take life.
Blood sacrifice at border crossings (often marked by rivers) and within buildings was thought to be prudent offerings. So it is this night. The Fountain marks the crossing,
-------------------------------------
Third part
**OI Ritualist #2**
-=The Ancient=-
The origins of blood sacrifice are lost in the mist of prehistory. Few now walk that remember the beginnings. Nevertheless, according to ancient rites of sacrifice, the sacrifice should be of high value. The gods would be offended by a sickly or inferior offering.
------------------------------
4th part
**KA Ritualist #2**
-=The Hidden=-
It is unknown where the blood of the Bloodstone that powers the fountain originates; it is of no specific race, not “type”. It simply is. It is a sacred gift to all the Kindred of Toxia. It has never been free from risk; it is a public space, albeit within the walls of the Kindred Alliance. It has been tainted, but it recovered, it has been desecrated, but it has not been restored. Until now.
**OI Senior Ritualist** With this blessing, it is Done. "Meishoo iyiook enkai inkishu o-nkera"
**KA Senior Ritualist** "May the Creator give us sustenance and vitae for all His Childer.
((cue Fountain to start working))
((Speech from Spirit))
The Blood Fruit
**OI Senior Ritualist**
Using seeds from Her First Garden, Her Ladyship Omega will offer ta plant fruiting trees around tha Blood Fountain. These will be enhanced and cared for by tha Kindred Alliance and in tha presence of the fountain, they will germinate and grow, quickened by the magic’s of the restoration, and nourished by the seeping blood of the Fountain, they will bear fruits nourishing to Kindred.
**KA Senior Ritualist**
((does the planting ritual))
((end of planned RP))
{{BACKSTABBERY BY SPIRIT HERE}}
Written by GrrBrool Lykin, Praetor Omegan Institute (and Marwan Paine, KA BloodKnight)
Fallin Feathers and burnin boats
well fer FUCKS SAKE.
as if my weekend wasn't fuckin BAD ENOUGH. Captain Featherpants blew up his Goddess damned air boat thingy. Scuttled it mid air. I was in my room when i heard tha fuckin blast. I was just layin there. still cant sleep. and tha fuckin unmistakable sound of multiple concussion airbursts above my head sent instinct and reflex inta high gear. I ran outside, lookin fer cover, in time ta see Denny's ship come down in a rain of shivered timbers and burnin plasma.
i hit tha water as tha last parts were splashin down and swam over to it. Saw Captain Featherpants himself, in the wreckage, swimmin ta shore. I helped pull his watter logged ass ta tha beach and started yellin at him what happened, who did it and was he awright.
Tha crazy bugger did it himself. Blew himself up with his boat. Woulda been poetic if it wasn't FUCKIN STUPID. He was ok. fer that i am really bloody grateful fer. That woulda been tha straw i fuckin tell ya.
Goddess! what is it WITH tha people i care about and gettin blown up, cursed on, stabbed in tha guts, kidnapped, lost in tha beyond, and generally disappearin.
as if my weekend wasn't fuckin BAD ENOUGH. Captain Featherpants blew up his Goddess damned air boat thingy. Scuttled it mid air. I was in my room when i heard tha fuckin blast. I was just layin there. still cant sleep. and tha fuckin unmistakable sound of multiple concussion airbursts above my head sent instinct and reflex inta high gear. I ran outside, lookin fer cover, in time ta see Denny's ship come down in a rain of shivered timbers and burnin plasma.
i hit tha water as tha last parts were splashin down and swam over to it. Saw Captain Featherpants himself, in the wreckage, swimmin ta shore. I helped pull his watter logged ass ta tha beach and started yellin at him what happened, who did it and was he awright.
Tha crazy bugger did it himself. Blew himself up with his boat. Woulda been poetic if it wasn't FUCKIN STUPID. He was ok. fer that i am really bloody grateful fer. That woulda been tha straw i fuckin tell ya.
Goddess! what is it WITH tha people i care about and gettin blown up, cursed on, stabbed in tha guts, kidnapped, lost in tha beyond, and generally disappearin.
Feed tha Fanger, but not tha World
They did it. They didn't think about tha bloody consequences. They just did it. I helped fix it. Maybe. But i thought about it. Long and hard.
Was it tha right thing ta do? hell yes. Will it cause lastin ongoin problems? Probably. Do i think it'll have turned my kind against me? yup. DO i think it'll help keep all tha walkin peoples safer? Hell yes. Am i gunna pay? Who's ta fuckin say i ain't awready.
So here's tha deal. Bunch of my kin blew up tha Blood Fountain. Tha feedin spot fer all tha Fangers of Toxia. Tha thing that let them not have ta feed on People. It was tha common most decent thing in this fuckin town. I dont know who made it, or where it all came from, only that tha blood in it didn't come from huntin. It wasn't taken by force. It was a gift. And it got taken away by force.
Blown up. Commando style. Precision smash and burn op. I came inta Tox from tha mainland as tha ash was settlin. Literally. Saw tha carnage, heard tha word on tha street and fuckin scooted. Missed tha hunt, tha riot, tha retribution and saved my tail. They crucified Quillis.
It was not a good time ta be a Shifter, i'm tellin ya. Over the weeks and moons that followed, i saw tha Fangers starvin and now and then randomly attackin folks ta feed. Not crippled. Not destroyed. Not driven to their knees, driven to tha throats of tha rest of us. Nice one, dumb-asses.
Long time and still nothin like tha effect they may have wanted. just another fuckin shameless act of destruction by my kin. No wonder we're thought of as savages. We are. Cause we do shit like this and think we're fighting tha good fight. Just like i used ta in Timor. Just like we're always done. I've blown up houses, I've blown up wells. Hell i've poisoned wells and seeded fields with mines. I know what it is ta stick it ta yer enemies. Tha Kindred of Tox ain't my enemy. I may not like em. They might be tha same as their kind all over tha fuckin world.
That ain't my problem. i came here ta get away fer this kinda shit. Word came ta us at tha Institute that someone had worked out how ta fix it. That tha Factions were lookin fer tha Bloodstone. Some sorta artifact. Key ta tha whole damn thing. Of course it came ta us. Its what we do. Once we got it? well, we worked out how it worked and how ta use it.
I negotiated with the Scholars in tha KA, its kinda what i do now. Her Ladyship and tha Head Fangers of tha KA were talking. Things were underway. I even helped write tha Ritual ta turn it all back on. Ta give them back their feed trough. Ta ease their sufferin. Ta do my part ta make up fer what my Kin did. Maybe ta show them that we can do more than destroy . Maybe. Kinda. Sorta.
I stood there, speakin fer tha Institute, speakin as a Shifter . Speakin as somebody who's destroyed sacred things and now wants ta make it right. I heard tha callin, and did my part. I also heard tha voices callen out durin tha ritual, callin out what we was doin was al wrong, that we were givin back tha KA tha means ta enslave tha city. Bollocks ta that. I was givin something back. They can't see past their noses if they think tht all it took was helpin rebuild tha Fanger Feedin Trough was all they needed.
As if havin a hunt free food supply was all that was keepin em tough and on tha streets. As if. So even though i thought it all through, even though i tried ta think of all tha tactical consequences, i still worry. Were they right? did i just open tha door ta tha monsters? Am i just as bad as tha ones that blew tha damn thing up? Maybe.
But ya know tha kicker? ya know tha thing that has kept me awake fer three days since? That fuckin dried up, pus suckin puppy kickin, goat fuckin, pork eatin, motherless scum slag skank bush pig slapper backstabber Spirit tha Fanger Matriarch fuckin put a CURSE on Her Ladyship. Right after we finished layin out tha buffett fer em. Got tha stupid fuckin Bloodstone and kept it safe, got it to em, i fuckin WROTE and all but RAN their Goddess damned Ritual ta switch tha damn thing on, and WHAT?
She stabbed Her in tha back with a kiss of doom. Makes me want ta end every last fuckin last one of them. Ash and sackcloth. Except fer one.
Now look at what they did. As if i couldn't sink any lower inta tha morass. Im a fuckin hypocrite too.
Great.
Was it tha right thing ta do? hell yes. Will it cause lastin ongoin problems? Probably. Do i think it'll have turned my kind against me? yup. DO i think it'll help keep all tha walkin peoples safer? Hell yes. Am i gunna pay? Who's ta fuckin say i ain't awready.
So here's tha deal. Bunch of my kin blew up tha Blood Fountain. Tha feedin spot fer all tha Fangers of Toxia. Tha thing that let them not have ta feed on People. It was tha common most decent thing in this fuckin town. I dont know who made it, or where it all came from, only that tha blood in it didn't come from huntin. It wasn't taken by force. It was a gift. And it got taken away by force.
Blown up. Commando style. Precision smash and burn op. I came inta Tox from tha mainland as tha ash was settlin. Literally. Saw tha carnage, heard tha word on tha street and fuckin scooted. Missed tha hunt, tha riot, tha retribution and saved my tail. They crucified Quillis.
It was not a good time ta be a Shifter, i'm tellin ya. Over the weeks and moons that followed, i saw tha Fangers starvin and now and then randomly attackin folks ta feed. Not crippled. Not destroyed. Not driven to their knees, driven to tha throats of tha rest of us. Nice one, dumb-asses.
Long time and still nothin like tha effect they may have wanted. just another fuckin shameless act of destruction by my kin. No wonder we're thought of as savages. We are. Cause we do shit like this and think we're fighting tha good fight. Just like i used ta in Timor. Just like we're always done. I've blown up houses, I've blown up wells. Hell i've poisoned wells and seeded fields with mines. I know what it is ta stick it ta yer enemies. Tha Kindred of Tox ain't my enemy. I may not like em. They might be tha same as their kind all over tha fuckin world.
That ain't my problem. i came here ta get away fer this kinda shit. Word came ta us at tha Institute that someone had worked out how ta fix it. That tha Factions were lookin fer tha Bloodstone. Some sorta artifact. Key ta tha whole damn thing. Of course it came ta us. Its what we do. Once we got it? well, we worked out how it worked and how ta use it.
I negotiated with the Scholars in tha KA, its kinda what i do now. Her Ladyship and tha Head Fangers of tha KA were talking. Things were underway. I even helped write tha Ritual ta turn it all back on. Ta give them back their feed trough. Ta ease their sufferin. Ta do my part ta make up fer what my Kin did. Maybe ta show them that we can do more than destroy . Maybe. Kinda. Sorta.
I stood there, speakin fer tha Institute, speakin as a Shifter . Speakin as somebody who's destroyed sacred things and now wants ta make it right. I heard tha callin, and did my part. I also heard tha voices callen out durin tha ritual, callin out what we was doin was al wrong, that we were givin back tha KA tha means ta enslave tha city. Bollocks ta that. I was givin something back. They can't see past their noses if they think tht all it took was helpin rebuild tha Fanger Feedin Trough was all they needed.
As if havin a hunt free food supply was all that was keepin em tough and on tha streets. As if. So even though i thought it all through, even though i tried ta think of all tha tactical consequences, i still worry. Were they right? did i just open tha door ta tha monsters? Am i just as bad as tha ones that blew tha damn thing up? Maybe.
But ya know tha kicker? ya know tha thing that has kept me awake fer three days since? That fuckin dried up, pus suckin puppy kickin, goat fuckin, pork eatin, motherless scum slag skank bush pig slapper backstabber Spirit tha Fanger Matriarch fuckin put a CURSE on Her Ladyship. Right after we finished layin out tha buffett fer em. Got tha stupid fuckin Bloodstone and kept it safe, got it to em, i fuckin WROTE and all but RAN their Goddess damned Ritual ta switch tha damn thing on, and WHAT?
She stabbed Her in tha back with a kiss of doom. Makes me want ta end every last fuckin last one of them. Ash and sackcloth. Except fer one.
Now look at what they did. As if i couldn't sink any lower inta tha morass. Im a fuckin hypocrite too.
Great.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Spirit Gal's Path
I was in tha Library, just chillin, Joah was there too. We kinda sat, starin. I feel kinda wobbly around her still. Cause of tha eatin talkin people thing. She stares one way, i stare tha other. Finally i worked up tha courage ta say somethin, and like a pup, i stumble over tha words. I asked her about her wounds. Tha thing i'm good at, damage. She tells me she's doin awright, and i get tha feelin its true. Physically at least. trauma run deeper than meat, some times. We get ta talkin about Lestat, and what she achieved, healin his heart. Thats bloody good. We both got tha healin touch, and i'm glad that between tha both of us, we can kinda cover all tha hurts that come towards tha Institute. Kinda, Sorta, Maybe.
Tha deeper pain though, i can feel in her, thats hard ta reach. We get ta talkin about it, She wondered ta me if she belonged with us, or maybe with tha Shadows. She's got a fire in her belly, a rage that ya might think tha Institute frowns on. Fact is, as i look at my Family, we all got our wounds. Well, maybe all of us save Strong gal, she dont have no scars, not on tha inside anyways, and Ethan looks after her outside too. I guess that shes lucky ta be so, innocent and immune ta tha crap tha rest of us are wadin through. Me and Spirit Gal get ta talkin about her close ones from tha Shadows. Blue. Pickett. Lorne. its a tough topic fer me. Tha Shadows were my Enemy fer a long time. They've tried ta off me personal like more than once, more than just durrin tha War with tha Pack.
Its hard fer me. Kishi went to em first, then so many others. I lost half my squad of Scouts to em in a week. Quiet is with em still, Blaze runs with em. Jason we lost long long ago. I know what they are like, and at tha same time, considerin what tha Pack got like, were we any different? only in principle. Tha Pack wanted ta destroy, tha Shadows, corrupt. They got better dental, i guess. Better incentives, and by all accounts, better scrumpin. I tried ta explain ta Spirit Gal what it meant ta me. Showed her my resignation letter to tha Pack. told her what they were like at tha end. How i didn't see much of a deference between tha two, she agreed. I guess we had that, too.
So, she read tha letter, and held my paw. i dunno i guess it made some sense ta her too. We talked about her past. I told her tha most important thing, more important than who she runs with, is ta understand who and what she is. So we talked about that. How far back she remembered. Only as far back as arrivin in Tox. Face down in a puddle of goo. I asked her if she's been bitten by any rats, thats how i judge how long a body's been layin about. Tox's rats come after about 5 hours of layin out. No bites means less than 5 hours, best bet. She told me she had a few furry bodies about her, so, i guess, longer than 5. She was really hurtin, torn, she said. Just like she was feelin mentally now. Heart not tha flesh. I told her i would walk with her on her journey ta find herself. Wherever it went. She asked me, serious like, if i would walk with her in tha dark places she might have ta go. Silly Gal, did she think i'd offer and then leave her in tha lurch, what did she think i was? a Fleshie?
Of course i'd walk with her in tha dark nasty places, physically or spiritually. Thats what Family does. Thats what i do. Im tha Watcher, her words even, i walk tha walls. I stand in tha dark places so others don't have ta. I tried ta tell her how serious i was. She seemed ta get it. All she asked, crazy Spirit Gal, was that i not die. Well, thats always been my goal. So I tell her, that i don't expect ta die till after i made up fer all my wrong doin's over my life. so fer her not ta worry.
That got me ta thinkin. Her blood, toxic, kills rats, Toxian rats at that. Not so good. I've got it all over me twice. Payed tha price too. Knocks me about pretty good. No lastin harm. I told her too. I had me a thought. Actually, somethin i've thought about quite a bit. Somethin that i've worried about, and been shy about askin. She'd awready scanned me, after we got ta talkin about my past, my Littermates, all dead now, of old age, my Army records said, and tha book in tha Library backed up. UnChanged, my breed only lives 7 ta 10 years in tha wild. Maybe 10 ta 14 in captivity. I'm 16 now. My Dam is dead, my brothers and sisters are dead. My only Family is those i find. Point is, she knew i was fit, and healthy, and strong, and unwounded. So i asked her ta spit on my paw. I stripped off my glove, and flopped out in front of her.
I told her i needed ta know, that i was ready, and we were safe. I told her if anything went wrong she could heal me. I called on tha Goddess ts protect me cause i was made of glass, and Spirit Gal relented, and took my paw, and licked it. I'm a tricky bugger, comes with tha gene's i guess. So, i dropped flat, and held my breath. Freaked her RIGHT out. I waited, till she was callin my name and got right in close, so i could feel her breath on my nose. Thats when i grabbed her, and kissed her. Been wantin ta try that fer a long while. Never sure if it was tha right thing ta do, or if it'd kill me. Ha. Who dares wins. (Tosser soft cock Fleshie SAS) If i'm gunna be walkin tha Dark Roads with her, i cant be worried about dyin each time i need a kiss, now can I? Ha!
OK, so Dark Roads be damned, i wanted ta kiss her, so shoot me! She gave me a punch er two, which i deserved, but we both enjoyed tha kiss, i think, and we had a good cuddle by tha fire. I like Spirit Gal, i'm glad she knows now she dont need to be so afraid of killin me all tha time. I'm a big critter, i ain't made of glass. I can be loud, but its in my nature ta be shy, too, so, it was my tricky way of showin her how i felt, and that its all good. Her spit dont do me no harm. I wonder about tha rest . . . well, all good things to those that wait, they say, but i'm all fer tha ambush tactics, always have been. So, we'll see, we'll see.
Tha deeper pain though, i can feel in her, thats hard ta reach. We get ta talkin about it, She wondered ta me if she belonged with us, or maybe with tha Shadows. She's got a fire in her belly, a rage that ya might think tha Institute frowns on. Fact is, as i look at my Family, we all got our wounds. Well, maybe all of us save Strong gal, she dont have no scars, not on tha inside anyways, and Ethan looks after her outside too. I guess that shes lucky ta be so, innocent and immune ta tha crap tha rest of us are wadin through. Me and Spirit Gal get ta talkin about her close ones from tha Shadows. Blue. Pickett. Lorne. its a tough topic fer me. Tha Shadows were my Enemy fer a long time. They've tried ta off me personal like more than once, more than just durrin tha War with tha Pack.
Its hard fer me. Kishi went to em first, then so many others. I lost half my squad of Scouts to em in a week. Quiet is with em still, Blaze runs with em. Jason we lost long long ago. I know what they are like, and at tha same time, considerin what tha Pack got like, were we any different? only in principle. Tha Pack wanted ta destroy, tha Shadows, corrupt. They got better dental, i guess. Better incentives, and by all accounts, better scrumpin. I tried ta explain ta Spirit Gal what it meant ta me. Showed her my resignation letter to tha Pack. told her what they were like at tha end. How i didn't see much of a deference between tha two, she agreed. I guess we had that, too.
So, she read tha letter, and held my paw. i dunno i guess it made some sense ta her too. We talked about her past. I told her tha most important thing, more important than who she runs with, is ta understand who and what she is. So we talked about that. How far back she remembered. Only as far back as arrivin in Tox. Face down in a puddle of goo. I asked her if she's been bitten by any rats, thats how i judge how long a body's been layin about. Tox's rats come after about 5 hours of layin out. No bites means less than 5 hours, best bet. She told me she had a few furry bodies about her, so, i guess, longer than 5. She was really hurtin, torn, she said. Just like she was feelin mentally now. Heart not tha flesh. I told her i would walk with her on her journey ta find herself. Wherever it went. She asked me, serious like, if i would walk with her in tha dark places she might have ta go. Silly Gal, did she think i'd offer and then leave her in tha lurch, what did she think i was? a Fleshie?
Of course i'd walk with her in tha dark nasty places, physically or spiritually. Thats what Family does. Thats what i do. Im tha Watcher, her words even, i walk tha walls. I stand in tha dark places so others don't have ta. I tried ta tell her how serious i was. She seemed ta get it. All she asked, crazy Spirit Gal, was that i not die. Well, thats always been my goal. So I tell her, that i don't expect ta die till after i made up fer all my wrong doin's over my life. so fer her not ta worry.
That got me ta thinkin. Her blood, toxic, kills rats, Toxian rats at that. Not so good. I've got it all over me twice. Payed tha price too. Knocks me about pretty good. No lastin harm. I told her too. I had me a thought. Actually, somethin i've thought about quite a bit. Somethin that i've worried about, and been shy about askin. She'd awready scanned me, after we got ta talkin about my past, my Littermates, all dead now, of old age, my Army records said, and tha book in tha Library backed up. UnChanged, my breed only lives 7 ta 10 years in tha wild. Maybe 10 ta 14 in captivity. I'm 16 now. My Dam is dead, my brothers and sisters are dead. My only Family is those i find. Point is, she knew i was fit, and healthy, and strong, and unwounded. So i asked her ta spit on my paw. I stripped off my glove, and flopped out in front of her.
I told her i needed ta know, that i was ready, and we were safe. I told her if anything went wrong she could heal me. I called on tha Goddess ts protect me cause i was made of glass, and Spirit Gal relented, and took my paw, and licked it. I'm a tricky bugger, comes with tha gene's i guess. So, i dropped flat, and held my breath. Freaked her RIGHT out. I waited, till she was callin my name and got right in close, so i could feel her breath on my nose. Thats when i grabbed her, and kissed her. Been wantin ta try that fer a long while. Never sure if it was tha right thing ta do, or if it'd kill me. Ha. Who dares wins. (Tosser soft cock Fleshie SAS) If i'm gunna be walkin tha Dark Roads with her, i cant be worried about dyin each time i need a kiss, now can I? Ha!
OK, so Dark Roads be damned, i wanted ta kiss her, so shoot me! She gave me a punch er two, which i deserved, but we both enjoyed tha kiss, i think, and we had a good cuddle by tha fire. I like Spirit Gal, i'm glad she knows now she dont need to be so afraid of killin me all tha time. I'm a big critter, i ain't made of glass. I can be loud, but its in my nature ta be shy, too, so, it was my tricky way of showin her how i felt, and that its all good. Her spit dont do me no harm. I wonder about tha rest . . . well, all good things to those that wait, they say, but i'm all fer tha ambush tactics, always have been. So, we'll see, we'll see.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Nareth: Huntress, no more
It was already a rough day. Tha tension was cracklin. Figures. Discordia. Perfect weather fer what we were gunna be doin. Only way it coulda been better was if there was thunder and lightning. Some screamin peasants with farmin implements woulda been fitting too, but I’ve seen them befer, and there was still time. Strong-Gal was dancin to tha music in her head when we heard the raspin voice of tha Godling from upstairs. She stopped her dance, and tha wind caught her scent and gave we a snoutfull. Blood. Ethan. She smelled of Ethan’s blood, and sweat. She looked at her self, touched her skin, rubbed it and made a surprised face. She wasn’t hurt, that I could tell, but there was somethin’ off. Fleshies don’t sweat blood unless they got one of tha bleednin-out diseases; Ebola, Marburg, Lassa. Strong-Gal didn’t have none of them, that I could smell, so, at least there was that. She did duck off pretty fast though, maybe she was embarrassed. I followed her upstairs, after telling Pontifex and Her Ladyship that we had company upstairs too.
“Pure iron," Joah murmured ta tha Goddling who told Spirit-Gal she’d done well with tha bot. Now, me and Spirit-Gal have had a rough week, tha two of us. Rougher than most, but with a happier endin than I can remember fer a while. There had been some idle talk on tha floor about food, and someone had brough up what they didn’t eat. Well, there isn’t much I won’t eat, and even less I’ve not tried ta eat. Some things I don’t eat any more. Like talking people. But that didn’t quite make it to tha conversation. What came up was that I’ve eaten Lycan and Feline and Fleshies. Lots of Fleshies. Villages worth. No secret there, in tha 7RAR-L we were on a ground clearing mission, cullin tha population ta make tha region . . .manageable, and they never fed us enough. Hell, they suggested it. Made fer even greater terror. Made fer cheaper logistics. Face it, my Kin were made fer eatin their kills.
That’s not how Spirit Gal saw it though. She just saw tha monster. Tha Beast. She looked at me with eyes that only saw me pickin gristle outa my fangs with a baby’s arm. Those eyes. They ain’t never tha eyes I want see in a friend. Nor Family, nor one in my pack. She asked me “Had I eaten Human?” I said yes. “Would you eat a child?” No says I, would I, not have I. I was glad she asked that way. I wont lie to my Family, I don’t know if I can, even. She asked me “would I eat a friend”, I said “I’d never kill a friend fer food” Tha horror was in her eyes. Tha realization that I was an apex predator, and that maybe I saw everyone walkin about as a mobile buffet was fresh in her mind. She couldn’t accept that she had let herself befriend a monster. A beast. An animal. In a flash, I saw that cross her mind. Damn near broke my heart. I guess just ran. Strong Gal found me, out by tha Den, strange how I ended up that way. Guess tha reek of meat called tha beast. Anyways, Stong-Gal talked to me, held me even and I cried, cried like a lost pup, my Timor memories were aweful fresh after getting Shadow-poisoned so it was fresh fer me. Close. Brutal and close.
This is how she thought of me when I padded upstairs and past her and tha Godling, Labyrinth, standin beside tha Bot-Nareth. Pontifex had made it up, as had Her ladyship. I followed Britt’s scent over to the far corner and checked on her. She was washing, and changing clothes. Spirit-Gal said to the little group, my Family, my pack “The time is at hand.” Tha Godling replied, always testin “Is it? Pontifex watched from the sidelines as It turned and scanned tha faces, Spirit Gal started ta smile calmly “You know it is, Aunt Beast. Britt came out having washed down and quirks silently to the gathered group. She rounded tha corner of tha supplies and boxes and up ta me, givin me a questionin look. She sits beside me. She don’t fear what I am. She knows I’m more than what I was. Better. Deeper. She loves a predator, tha old Fanger Ethan, so she has an idea what it is like.
Labyrinth stands still, watching tha bot as Abi ran up tha stairs, breathin heavy. It opened her left hand, showin a small spinnin thing I cant see what it is from this side of tha room, only that its shiny and got lots of sides. I whispered to Britt that I could smell Ethan’s blood in her sweat, and wanted ta be sure she was ok. She thought that maybe I meant she smelt bad, but, weren’t that at all. Just that it wasn’t tha usual scent fer a Fleshie ta have. We both settled ta watch tha show. I knew I would have a part ta play, and I was worried what it would be. “The time...is short...Joah. The time is..now. It's your world...” Spirit Gal turned to look at Her Ladyship, and ta Abi “Omega, will you allow this?” Her Ladyship opened her hands, lookin to tha Godling, Abi starts lookin between tha Bot and Labyrinth, I could smell her cryin start. Spirit Gal waited, this ain’t a time fer rushin. Her Ladyship asked “What do you propose?” Tha Godlin stood there, lookin at tha spinnin thing in its hand, Spirit Gal looked back ta Her Ladyship and said “Bringing Nareth home. Sending Labyrinth back.” Her Ladyship was cold, and, tight voiced “Not my Nareth. This.. construct of yours. Let it be done.” Ya gotta remember, Tha Huntress was Her Ladyships childe. She chose her ta live forever along side Her Ladyship in tha world, in tha future. That’s a bond I don’t know if I can compare anything to. She made Nareth Family, it didn’t just happen. She DID it.
And then, Tha Huntress was gone, dead, possessed and eaten. Now we were lookin ta save her soul, or, something, and put it in a Bot. Labyrinth, tha one who stole Nareth in tha first place spoke again “How.. remarkable. Yessssss....” Ya know, when I am a Godling, I bet I’ll be just as incomprehensible, but I hope that Coyote will clip me up side tha head if I pull some of tha shit that this One did. Spirit Gal started again “There are three parts. Blood. Heart. Soul.” Her Ladyship again, without so much as a frown spoke “this.. abomination you have created has no blood.” All part of tha ritual. Spirit Gal turned and walked slowly up to Her Ladyship, offerin her hand. “Tha blood is yours, Omega. And Yer childe's. Will ya give it?” Her Ladyship nodded and Spirit Gal took Her by the hand and lead her to tha Bot as Tha Godling watched and as Abi opened her eyes and thme move to it, bitin her lip.
I see tha flash of light, painful ta look at, just the smallest spark, but so bright, as Spirit-Gal draws Nareth's sigil, tha Razor, from around her neck, looking questioningly at Omega, then moves ta draw the razor across Her Ladyships wrist. But Her Ladyship stops her with a word “No.” There was a pause. “Not from there. From here.” The shiny thing in Its hand began ta spin again. Her Ladyship tilted her head, stretchin her neck, and closed her eyes. “Cut deep.” Tha Godling Labyrinth crooned “Yesssssss....” and Pontifex, her faithful follower, took a breath, held it fer moment. Spirit Gal nodded, lifted tha razor, and slid it across Her Ladyship’s throat. The blade began to sing. Time slowed down. Fer a horrible moment, I worried it was all a plot, a sham ta finally do over Her Ladyship. What better chance. A willin offerin before a Godling. A collection of powers. A cut to Her hearts blood? All too much ta bear, fer a moment, just a flicker, mind, and i hardly bolted over, but I knew it was time ta stop mopin and get on in there. Still, tha blade sang, it cut deep and Spirit Gal incanted “In the true name of the gods, the older ones. Eris. Azathoth. Tha Godling hears Its name, and responded “Yesssssssss.... I am.” At that moment, Spirit Gal takes her swipe with tha razor, fast, clean down Her Ladyships pale neck cleanly with a swift jerk. She lifted up her free hand and touched her finger so Her Ladyship’s blood streaming freely, coated the tips of her fingers. Tha spinning thing stopped, again.
Spirit Gal wrote something on tha Bot with Her Ladyships blood, Lari came up, and stood with Abby. Which was good. Abby needed comfort. Tha ritual continued on “Your blood, your life to your childe.” Spirit Gal said but Her Ladyship murmured, her eyes leakin blood tears.. “not my childe.. not any more..” but tha ritual is tha Ritual "Your childe," Joah says firmly, but softly, as Abi squeezes Omega's hand and Spirit Gal steped towards tha Godling. “Aunt Beast . . . you know I said I would . . . if I had the chance.” There is no sign of feelin from It, but, ya know, I think It really was invested in us, and our little world. “Yessssssss, I know. And you...will.” she kissed It on tha cheek, then traced her fingers across Its forehead with more of Her Ladyships blood. More letters. Then she does tha damndest thing. She turned towards Pontifex, and pressed tha blade into his hand. “You know how to use it.” Pontifex looked puzzled, and so did I, I never thought she’d hand that thing over ta anyone, let alone Poncho. "My blood as well?" He asked “No. It's . . . a door. "I'm sorry, Lady," Joah whispers as she walks by Her Ladyship. She just stood there, hand clasped to tha wound on Her neck, as She murmurs... “an opening...” Tha Godling spoke again. Goddess, I hoped this worked, “Yesssssss....to the Abyss....To me.” It watched Abi as Spirit Gal asked her if she wanted Nareth back and Abi cried and nodded a yes.
Pontifex nodded, looking at the razor, "Abi...could you come here?" tha Godling just watches “How...very...curious.” I take my cue, and havin stripped awready, and ready fer whatever part I have ta play, I padded up swiftly up and pressed an open field dressing to Her Ladyship’s free hand, closing my paw over her fingers onto it. I needed to make sure that at least she wasn’t gonna bleed out on tha floor whilst everyone was busy. Not on my watch. Her Ladyship looks around, eyeing Joah, Abigel, Pontifex, murmuring..... “your Nareth... yours.. but not mine. “ That’s when I hear Spirit Gal talk. She talked ta me. Seems like . . . . weeks . . .she just whispered "Watcher, keep her safe." Pontifex starts talking ta Abi, but its all gone away. All I hear is Spirit-Gal’s whisper, all I see is Her Ladyship puttin tha dressing against Her neck, staining it red immediately... She watches Pontifex.. and tha Godling Labyrinth lookin at me and smilin softly, a wicked, hungry smile. I whisper, ta myself more than anybody, tha Prayer of tha Watcher. Tha Scout Prayer, "I walk the walls whilst you rest, I guard the line whilst you work, I stand in the dark places that you may have Light, I watch, and hold the Beasts at bay" I caught Its gaze and holds it as I could and whispered again "I know you and honor your part in the wheel" It blinked and looked back to tha Bot. One fer me. I stood, and looked to Her Ladyship, and pressin tha field dressing to her neck, till her own healin closed the deep wound. I thought it did at least.
Round two went ta tha Godling. “How very...unexpected. The ...beast...will take my heart. He has long desired it” That sets Spirit Gal ta spin from watchin Pontifex’s show ta look at It. It just blinked. “You cannot lie.” Said Spirit Gal, unbelieving what It just revealed to her. It just kept on, “Oh can lie. I have had will a long time now. The dancers...and you...gifted it to me. You will do anything...to banish me. But..this I speak true Unless...I lie. The wolf takes...my heart...” Like It knew what I really wanted. Like It could understand. A blank expression crosses Spirit Gal’s face, then she turns to look at me. All her worst fears come true. In flesh and fur, about me. It don’t matter anymore. I have a job ta do, always a job, not that that’s much of an excuse or a need. But, its how I got ta be where I am, and who I am. Her Ladyship don’t mind, she understands, more than most I figure, she turns ta me, holding out a bloodstained hand to my muzzle. Spirit Gal looks at me serious, and whispers “The Watcher” then finds her voice. “Not wolf. Coyote.” But tha Godling speaks again “Beast” I watch It some more intently, not the look of person to person, but hunter to prey. " I am." Is all I say. It cocks her head to one side, “Time grows so short...” I lean my head towards Omegas bloodied hand and lap at it, wearing Her blood proudly on tha fur of my face.
Pontifex incanted. I don’t know what he said. He held the blade up in the air, it got dark, real dark, dark like inside a cave. I hardly heard any of it. Nor Spirit Gal talking to It, nor what Abi said. I had Her taste on my muzzle and tha Hunt in my eyes. Tha Sacred Hunt, mind, tha Ritual was cast, and I felt Coyote’s dance in my muscles, in tha floor, in tha air I breathed. I couldn’t take my eyes of tha Godling now. I was tha Watcher, so named, and so it was. Its what I am, its what I do. Scout. Hunter. Recon. Outrunner. Her Ladyship talks, but I can’t hear Her. Thay ain’t talking ta me, they will call me when they need me. They always do. Its my purpose. Its my place in tha Pack, its my duty. Its what I am.
I feel eyes on me. Spirit Gal’s Tha Godling’s. I hear someone say “Her heart.” By now I’m pacin, paddin about and around carefully, watching It, watching the crowd. Her Ladyship shakes Her head, seeming disoriented... “never a weapon, never our intent” were they talking about me? No. About Nareth, Tha Huntress, soon ta be Nareth tha Bot. Tha Godling turns to face me. I know it sees me as less than even tha other two-leggers here. Nareth did too. Glad ta see That some of tha Huntress rubbed of on tha Godling. That’s irony. "Very well," Spirit Gal whispered. Her Ladyship hissed and tha Godling spoke again, first to Her, then to me “It is only...the truth of it...Omega Beast...thou wilt take the heart in me, It is not mine.” Then It looked down at the hard red plates of It exoskeleton. As It kept speakin at me “You will accept it, and place it in the Joah's...hands. Then...I will diminish .. rapidly” My prey is awaiting, It stands still, my sacred duty approaches. I whisper the prayer again "Wall, Line, Light, Blood, Pack, Kin" I nod to It, letting it know I heard Its instructions. There was a loud crackin sound, and the scales on Labyrinth's chest tear apart, exposing a black heart. “Take it...quickly...”
Instinct takes over and I lunged forwards, speed of the predator in me that none there had witnessed, and fer that I am grateful. I slammed my sharp clawed fist into Labyrinths chest, shuddering us both. I knew I wouldn’t bowl over tha Godling, but I wanted It ta know, know deep in its fibers that this was done without a shred of fear for myself. You can never show fear to the Spirits when you touch them. Respect. Awe, but never fear, or they rule you. I growled. a deep, growl that would have send shivers through the spines of any who were born Fleshie, the instinctive fear of the wolf, and with a yank, I tore out the still, vampiric heart and paused, huffin, and crouched, blood splattered and gory, held it, before lifting it up for all ta see, for tha Sun, tha Moon, tha Stars and the Spirits ta see and I called out in tha ancient form. Not my native tongue, not tha way I call tha Spirits, but tha ancient way ta take tha Heart Offerin, "tonacayotl : nextlahualli : macehualli: Huitzilopochtli! Tezcatlipoca! Co-llo-tlh! For the sake of all the world. We take this debt payment. For the sake of we who owe Life to the Gods; the Sun, warrior. Night, destiny and Coyote, bringer of change. Tha words were foreign ta me, but I knew , I knew , tha forms had ta be met. I shuddered at tha implications of what I was doin. I handed over tha heart, cold and bloody, ta Spirit Gal. Even then, full of tha Coyote dance, its hard fer me ta look Spirit Gal in tha eye. Knowing what I know, and seeing her look at me, but I did, I handing the heart over still with a lingerin glow to my fur. Her Ladyships blood on my muzzle, and tha blood of the body that was keeping the heart of Nareth on my arms and chest.
Tha Godling staggers, but stands, gaspin fer a moment. “The Stars...were not yet...rightl. I am. I am Labyrinth. I am...even in this fallen..small..world. I am Eris Discordia. So..named....Azathoth among the Outer Gods.”. That’s when Spirit Gal took tha heart, blood drippin down her wrists. She stood watchin tha bleedin Godling as she talks some more “I am the Whisperer in...Darkness. I will await Nyarlathotep's coming. Her Ladyship steped up ta Spirit Gal, placed a hand on tha heart. I had one more sacred duty ta perform. Ta offer back to tha Prey for its offerin. So I looked up ta tha Godling, Labyrinth and ask It formally "Forgive me." As Labyrinth speaks, Joah lifts the heart to Omega. The Godling looked at me. It actually looked at ME, this time, not just tha fur and claws, fangs and tail “No...regret...beast. No regret. You serve me.” I just nodded and backed away to tha corner. My duty done, for now. I do not serve Tha Void. I do not serve Entropy. I do not serve tha Emptyness. I serve tha Change, tha Reshaper. Coyote the Creator, and fer then, my work was done.
The others did their parts. I sat, covered in splatter. Waiting. Watching. Till it was done, and they brought Nareth back. Kinda. Sorta. Not Tha Huntress. Not Her Ladyships childe. Something of her. Enough. Enough that I can send it over tha Wide River if it needed. Enough ta guide to tha Final Place. Denny and me argued about that, it pained him ta see what they had made. What I helped make happen. Fer my part, I woulda brought Nareth back in any way I could. Raven charged me ta do that. Maybe it was Legion. Maybe it was Lorne. I don’t care. I see tha workins of Raven, and Coyote, in their actions too. Nareth deserved ta reach tha Happy Huntin grounds. Even if not fer her, than fer Her Ladyship.
One last thing. One last duty then I could run, run from the eyes. I am tha Watcher. I guard tha threshold. Footsteps on tha stairwell to be confronted, each in their own way. Some, like Artemisia, come ta bring comfort and warmth to tha newborn, give it, her, Bot-Nareth, groundin. I told her when she asked that we brought home tha Huntress, but Her Ladyship looked over her shoulder, blood soaked and pained and corrected me ”not the Huntress.. she is gone...but there is this...” She’s right. Tha Huntress is gone. Too much damage and loss. Others came, not all of em as comfortin and warmin. I think them and me will be havin further words . . . .
“Pure iron," Joah murmured ta tha Goddling who told Spirit-Gal she’d done well with tha bot. Now, me and Spirit-Gal have had a rough week, tha two of us. Rougher than most, but with a happier endin than I can remember fer a while. There had been some idle talk on tha floor about food, and someone had brough up what they didn’t eat. Well, there isn’t much I won’t eat, and even less I’ve not tried ta eat. Some things I don’t eat any more. Like talking people. But that didn’t quite make it to tha conversation. What came up was that I’ve eaten Lycan and Feline and Fleshies. Lots of Fleshies. Villages worth. No secret there, in tha 7RAR-L we were on a ground clearing mission, cullin tha population ta make tha region . . .manageable, and they never fed us enough. Hell, they suggested it. Made fer even greater terror. Made fer cheaper logistics. Face it, my Kin were made fer eatin their kills.
That’s not how Spirit Gal saw it though. She just saw tha monster. Tha Beast. She looked at me with eyes that only saw me pickin gristle outa my fangs with a baby’s arm. Those eyes. They ain’t never tha eyes I want see in a friend. Nor Family, nor one in my pack. She asked me “Had I eaten Human?” I said yes. “Would you eat a child?” No says I, would I, not have I. I was glad she asked that way. I wont lie to my Family, I don’t know if I can, even. She asked me “would I eat a friend”, I said “I’d never kill a friend fer food” Tha horror was in her eyes. Tha realization that I was an apex predator, and that maybe I saw everyone walkin about as a mobile buffet was fresh in her mind. She couldn’t accept that she had let herself befriend a monster. A beast. An animal. In a flash, I saw that cross her mind. Damn near broke my heart. I guess just ran. Strong Gal found me, out by tha Den, strange how I ended up that way. Guess tha reek of meat called tha beast. Anyways, Stong-Gal talked to me, held me even and I cried, cried like a lost pup, my Timor memories were aweful fresh after getting Shadow-poisoned so it was fresh fer me. Close. Brutal and close.
This is how she thought of me when I padded upstairs and past her and tha Godling, Labyrinth, standin beside tha Bot-Nareth. Pontifex had made it up, as had Her ladyship. I followed Britt’s scent over to the far corner and checked on her. She was washing, and changing clothes. Spirit-Gal said to the little group, my Family, my pack “The time is at hand.” Tha Godling replied, always testin “Is it? Pontifex watched from the sidelines as It turned and scanned tha faces, Spirit Gal started ta smile calmly “You know it is, Aunt Beast. Britt came out having washed down and quirks silently to the gathered group. She rounded tha corner of tha supplies and boxes and up ta me, givin me a questionin look. She sits beside me. She don’t fear what I am. She knows I’m more than what I was. Better. Deeper. She loves a predator, tha old Fanger Ethan, so she has an idea what it is like.
Labyrinth stands still, watching tha bot as Abi ran up tha stairs, breathin heavy. It opened her left hand, showin a small spinnin thing I cant see what it is from this side of tha room, only that its shiny and got lots of sides. I whispered to Britt that I could smell Ethan’s blood in her sweat, and wanted ta be sure she was ok. She thought that maybe I meant she smelt bad, but, weren’t that at all. Just that it wasn’t tha usual scent fer a Fleshie ta have. We both settled ta watch tha show. I knew I would have a part ta play, and I was worried what it would be. “The time...is short...Joah. The time is..now. It's your world...” Spirit Gal turned to look at Her Ladyship, and ta Abi “Omega, will you allow this?” Her Ladyship opened her hands, lookin to tha Godling, Abi starts lookin between tha Bot and Labyrinth, I could smell her cryin start. Spirit Gal waited, this ain’t a time fer rushin. Her Ladyship asked “What do you propose?” Tha Godlin stood there, lookin at tha spinnin thing in its hand, Spirit Gal looked back ta Her Ladyship and said “Bringing Nareth home. Sending Labyrinth back.” Her Ladyship was cold, and, tight voiced “Not my Nareth. This.. construct of yours. Let it be done.” Ya gotta remember, Tha Huntress was Her Ladyships childe. She chose her ta live forever along side Her Ladyship in tha world, in tha future. That’s a bond I don’t know if I can compare anything to. She made Nareth Family, it didn’t just happen. She DID it.
And then, Tha Huntress was gone, dead, possessed and eaten. Now we were lookin ta save her soul, or, something, and put it in a Bot. Labyrinth, tha one who stole Nareth in tha first place spoke again “How.. remarkable. Yessssss....” Ya know, when I am a Godling, I bet I’ll be just as incomprehensible, but I hope that Coyote will clip me up side tha head if I pull some of tha shit that this One did. Spirit Gal started again “There are three parts. Blood. Heart. Soul.” Her Ladyship again, without so much as a frown spoke “this.. abomination you have created has no blood.” All part of tha ritual. Spirit Gal turned and walked slowly up to Her Ladyship, offerin her hand. “Tha blood is yours, Omega. And Yer childe's. Will ya give it?” Her Ladyship nodded and Spirit Gal took Her by the hand and lead her to tha Bot as Tha Godling watched and as Abi opened her eyes and thme move to it, bitin her lip.
I see tha flash of light, painful ta look at, just the smallest spark, but so bright, as Spirit-Gal draws Nareth's sigil, tha Razor, from around her neck, looking questioningly at Omega, then moves ta draw the razor across Her Ladyships wrist. But Her Ladyship stops her with a word “No.” There was a pause. “Not from there. From here.” The shiny thing in Its hand began ta spin again. Her Ladyship tilted her head, stretchin her neck, and closed her eyes. “Cut deep.” Tha Godling Labyrinth crooned “Yesssssss....” and Pontifex, her faithful follower, took a breath, held it fer moment. Spirit Gal nodded, lifted tha razor, and slid it across Her Ladyship’s throat. The blade began to sing. Time slowed down. Fer a horrible moment, I worried it was all a plot, a sham ta finally do over Her Ladyship. What better chance. A willin offerin before a Godling. A collection of powers. A cut to Her hearts blood? All too much ta bear, fer a moment, just a flicker, mind, and i hardly bolted over, but I knew it was time ta stop mopin and get on in there. Still, tha blade sang, it cut deep and Spirit Gal incanted “In the true name of the gods, the older ones. Eris. Azathoth. Tha Godling hears Its name, and responded “Yesssssssss.... I am.” At that moment, Spirit Gal takes her swipe with tha razor, fast, clean down Her Ladyships pale neck cleanly with a swift jerk. She lifted up her free hand and touched her finger so Her Ladyship’s blood streaming freely, coated the tips of her fingers. Tha spinning thing stopped, again.
Spirit Gal wrote something on tha Bot with Her Ladyships blood, Lari came up, and stood with Abby. Which was good. Abby needed comfort. Tha ritual continued on “Your blood, your life to your childe.” Spirit Gal said but Her Ladyship murmured, her eyes leakin blood tears.. “not my childe.. not any more..” but tha ritual is tha Ritual "Your childe," Joah says firmly, but softly, as Abi squeezes Omega's hand and Spirit Gal steped towards tha Godling. “Aunt Beast . . . you know I said I would . . . if I had the chance.” There is no sign of feelin from It, but, ya know, I think It really was invested in us, and our little world. “Yessssssss, I know. And you...will.” she kissed It on tha cheek, then traced her fingers across Its forehead with more of Her Ladyships blood. More letters. Then she does tha damndest thing. She turned towards Pontifex, and pressed tha blade into his hand. “You know how to use it.” Pontifex looked puzzled, and so did I, I never thought she’d hand that thing over ta anyone, let alone Poncho. "My blood as well?" He asked “No. It's . . . a door. "I'm sorry, Lady," Joah whispers as she walks by Her Ladyship. She just stood there, hand clasped to tha wound on Her neck, as She murmurs... “an opening...” Tha Godling spoke again. Goddess, I hoped this worked, “Yesssssss....to the Abyss....To me.” It watched Abi as Spirit Gal asked her if she wanted Nareth back and Abi cried and nodded a yes.
Pontifex nodded, looking at the razor, "Abi...could you come here?" tha Godling just watches “How...very...curious.” I take my cue, and havin stripped awready, and ready fer whatever part I have ta play, I padded up swiftly up and pressed an open field dressing to Her Ladyship’s free hand, closing my paw over her fingers onto it. I needed to make sure that at least she wasn’t gonna bleed out on tha floor whilst everyone was busy. Not on my watch. Her Ladyship looks around, eyeing Joah, Abigel, Pontifex, murmuring..... “your Nareth... yours.. but not mine. “ That’s when I hear Spirit Gal talk. She talked ta me. Seems like . . . . weeks . . .she just whispered "Watcher, keep her safe." Pontifex starts talking ta Abi, but its all gone away. All I hear is Spirit-Gal’s whisper, all I see is Her Ladyship puttin tha dressing against Her neck, staining it red immediately... She watches Pontifex.. and tha Godling Labyrinth lookin at me and smilin softly, a wicked, hungry smile. I whisper, ta myself more than anybody, tha Prayer of tha Watcher. Tha Scout Prayer, "I walk the walls whilst you rest, I guard the line whilst you work, I stand in the dark places that you may have Light, I watch, and hold the Beasts at bay" I caught Its gaze and holds it as I could and whispered again "I know you and honor your part in the wheel" It blinked and looked back to tha Bot. One fer me. I stood, and looked to Her Ladyship, and pressin tha field dressing to her neck, till her own healin closed the deep wound. I thought it did at least.
Round two went ta tha Godling. “How very...unexpected. The ...beast...will take my heart. He has long desired it” That sets Spirit Gal ta spin from watchin Pontifex’s show ta look at It. It just blinked. “You cannot lie.” Said Spirit Gal, unbelieving what It just revealed to her. It just kept on, “Oh can lie. I have had will a long time now. The dancers...and you...gifted it to me. You will do anything...to banish me. But..this I speak true Unless...I lie. The wolf takes...my heart...” Like It knew what I really wanted. Like It could understand. A blank expression crosses Spirit Gal’s face, then she turns to look at me. All her worst fears come true. In flesh and fur, about me. It don’t matter anymore. I have a job ta do, always a job, not that that’s much of an excuse or a need. But, its how I got ta be where I am, and who I am. Her Ladyship don’t mind, she understands, more than most I figure, she turns ta me, holding out a bloodstained hand to my muzzle. Spirit Gal looks at me serious, and whispers “The Watcher” then finds her voice. “Not wolf. Coyote.” But tha Godling speaks again “Beast” I watch It some more intently, not the look of person to person, but hunter to prey. " I am." Is all I say. It cocks her head to one side, “Time grows so short...” I lean my head towards Omegas bloodied hand and lap at it, wearing Her blood proudly on tha fur of my face.
Pontifex incanted. I don’t know what he said. He held the blade up in the air, it got dark, real dark, dark like inside a cave. I hardly heard any of it. Nor Spirit Gal talking to It, nor what Abi said. I had Her taste on my muzzle and tha Hunt in my eyes. Tha Sacred Hunt, mind, tha Ritual was cast, and I felt Coyote’s dance in my muscles, in tha floor, in tha air I breathed. I couldn’t take my eyes of tha Godling now. I was tha Watcher, so named, and so it was. Its what I am, its what I do. Scout. Hunter. Recon. Outrunner. Her Ladyship talks, but I can’t hear Her. Thay ain’t talking ta me, they will call me when they need me. They always do. Its my purpose. Its my place in tha Pack, its my duty. Its what I am.
I feel eyes on me. Spirit Gal’s Tha Godling’s. I hear someone say “Her heart.” By now I’m pacin, paddin about and around carefully, watching It, watching the crowd. Her Ladyship shakes Her head, seeming disoriented... “never a weapon, never our intent” were they talking about me? No. About Nareth, Tha Huntress, soon ta be Nareth tha Bot. Tha Godling turns to face me. I know it sees me as less than even tha other two-leggers here. Nareth did too. Glad ta see That some of tha Huntress rubbed of on tha Godling. That’s irony. "Very well," Spirit Gal whispered. Her Ladyship hissed and tha Godling spoke again, first to Her, then to me “It is only...the truth of it...Omega Beast...thou wilt take the heart in me, It is not mine.” Then It looked down at the hard red plates of It exoskeleton. As It kept speakin at me “You will accept it, and place it in the Joah's...hands. Then...I will diminish .. rapidly” My prey is awaiting, It stands still, my sacred duty approaches. I whisper the prayer again "Wall, Line, Light, Blood, Pack, Kin" I nod to It, letting it know I heard Its instructions. There was a loud crackin sound, and the scales on Labyrinth's chest tear apart, exposing a black heart. “Take it...quickly...”
Instinct takes over and I lunged forwards, speed of the predator in me that none there had witnessed, and fer that I am grateful. I slammed my sharp clawed fist into Labyrinths chest, shuddering us both. I knew I wouldn’t bowl over tha Godling, but I wanted It ta know, know deep in its fibers that this was done without a shred of fear for myself. You can never show fear to the Spirits when you touch them. Respect. Awe, but never fear, or they rule you. I growled. a deep, growl that would have send shivers through the spines of any who were born Fleshie, the instinctive fear of the wolf, and with a yank, I tore out the still, vampiric heart and paused, huffin, and crouched, blood splattered and gory, held it, before lifting it up for all ta see, for tha Sun, tha Moon, tha Stars and the Spirits ta see and I called out in tha ancient form. Not my native tongue, not tha way I call tha Spirits, but tha ancient way ta take tha Heart Offerin, "tonacayotl : nextlahualli : macehualli: Huitzilopochtli! Tezcatlipoca! Co-llo-tlh! For the sake of all the world. We take this debt payment. For the sake of we who owe Life to the Gods; the Sun, warrior. Night, destiny and Coyote, bringer of change. Tha words were foreign ta me, but I knew , I knew , tha forms had ta be met. I shuddered at tha implications of what I was doin. I handed over tha heart, cold and bloody, ta Spirit Gal. Even then, full of tha Coyote dance, its hard fer me ta look Spirit Gal in tha eye. Knowing what I know, and seeing her look at me, but I did, I handing the heart over still with a lingerin glow to my fur. Her Ladyships blood on my muzzle, and tha blood of the body that was keeping the heart of Nareth on my arms and chest.
Tha Godling staggers, but stands, gaspin fer a moment. “The Stars...were not yet...rightl. I am. I am Labyrinth. I am...even in this fallen..small..world. I am Eris Discordia. So..named....Azathoth among the Outer Gods.”. That’s when Spirit Gal took tha heart, blood drippin down her wrists. She stood watchin tha bleedin Godling as she talks some more “I am the Whisperer in...Darkness. I will await Nyarlathotep's coming. Her Ladyship steped up ta Spirit Gal, placed a hand on tha heart. I had one more sacred duty ta perform. Ta offer back to tha Prey for its offerin. So I looked up ta tha Godling, Labyrinth and ask It formally "Forgive me." As Labyrinth speaks, Joah lifts the heart to Omega. The Godling looked at me. It actually looked at ME, this time, not just tha fur and claws, fangs and tail “No...regret...beast. No regret. You serve me.” I just nodded and backed away to tha corner. My duty done, for now. I do not serve Tha Void. I do not serve Entropy. I do not serve tha Emptyness. I serve tha Change, tha Reshaper. Coyote the Creator, and fer then, my work was done.
The others did their parts. I sat, covered in splatter. Waiting. Watching. Till it was done, and they brought Nareth back. Kinda. Sorta. Not Tha Huntress. Not Her Ladyships childe. Something of her. Enough. Enough that I can send it over tha Wide River if it needed. Enough ta guide to tha Final Place. Denny and me argued about that, it pained him ta see what they had made. What I helped make happen. Fer my part, I woulda brought Nareth back in any way I could. Raven charged me ta do that. Maybe it was Legion. Maybe it was Lorne. I don’t care. I see tha workins of Raven, and Coyote, in their actions too. Nareth deserved ta reach tha Happy Huntin grounds. Even if not fer her, than fer Her Ladyship.
One last thing. One last duty then I could run, run from the eyes. I am tha Watcher. I guard tha threshold. Footsteps on tha stairwell to be confronted, each in their own way. Some, like Artemisia, come ta bring comfort and warmth to tha newborn, give it, her, Bot-Nareth, groundin. I told her when she asked that we brought home tha Huntress, but Her Ladyship looked over her shoulder, blood soaked and pained and corrected me ”not the Huntress.. she is gone...but there is this...” She’s right. Tha Huntress is gone. Too much damage and loss. Others came, not all of em as comfortin and warmin. I think them and me will be havin further words . . . .
Friday, August 8, 2008
Busy Times
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Pencil notes dated 7/8/08
====================================
big news, and lots of it.
I got poisoned. food poisonin ya could call it. seems i came across some leftovers that didn't agree with me one bit. its been hard fer me ta talk about it, cause of what it brought back. gave me one nasty trip. i got flashbacks. three days of them. the worst three days of my fuckin life. again. Tha assault on Firebase 6. Timor. 15th June 2004 they came at is. Tha Indo's. Heavy assault. Sent their Feline commando's in. Artillery day and night. They had learned ta lace their shells with silver. Chopped my mated ta shit. We were cut off. They came at us from two sides, and breached our perimeter. So damn fast. They were just so fast. Fast and bloody. Three days of bombin and suicide runs and we got no support. Couldn't bring our guns ta bear fast enough ta defend. Eventually, we ran outta ammo. Then is was close quarters combat. Claw and fang . Our Fleshie support didn't make it much past tha second day. Third day. knee deep in tha mud, and blood and tears, i heard tha round that got me.
90mm shell. Landed pretty much at my feet as i was scroungin ammo off a dead Snarl. Blew me ta shit. Nearly blew me in two. Cost me tha freedom of Shiftin at tha expense of constant pain. I relived those three days. Knowin all along what was comin. Knowin i was still in Tox, but trapped in my own head. Waitin fer that sound. Seein Indo Felines in every shadow. Seein uniforms on my friends, knowin what was waitin fer them , or, at least, what was waitin fer tha uniforms. This is what i spent three days relivin. At least my marksmanship hasn't faltered. I was seein ghosts, and thats all i shot. by all accounts, not a single Tox resident caught any of my lead. and i melted out tha barrel of my P-90. Her Ladyship collected my M-4. Clever, but, i awready knew that.
They finally worked out what had happened, and by good bloody luck, someone knew a cure. Zion of tha Coven, in fact.
Other news.
Abby got outta Zion, and tha other way too. Seems Rago and Abby are actually pairin up, not just scrumpin. thats sweet, shes a good kid, fer what she is, a crazy mix of Fallen and Fleshie, with a now-Feather mum and a dead-possessed-void-lost-step-mum. i been tryin real hard ta keep her safe. Least i could do. Least i SHOULD do. I couldn't bring tha Huntress back, she was outta my reach, i guess.
She's back too, i hear. gonna make her a bot-bod. Metal-Huntress. Great, now she's gunna be rusty and cranky as all fuck.
Kishi tried ta make a pass. More tryin ta get me off kilter ta mess with my head. Shoulda seen Her Ladyship and Joah jump too. It does a critter plenty good ta be looked after. I swear, they think i'm a breakable poodle or somethin. Its embarassin, but at tha same time, i'd not give up that feelin of care fer tha world and all its steak. I been gettin close with Joah too. She's afraid of what she is. I need ta make her feel safe in that. Ta live afraid of yerself aint livin at all. Spirit-gal needs that, i think. Maybe i can show her. Maybe. I'd like that. i like her a lot.
Pencil notes dated 7/8/08
====================================
big news, and lots of it.
I got poisoned. food poisonin ya could call it. seems i came across some leftovers that didn't agree with me one bit. its been hard fer me ta talk about it, cause of what it brought back. gave me one nasty trip. i got flashbacks. three days of them. the worst three days of my fuckin life. again. Tha assault on Firebase 6. Timor. 15th June 2004 they came at is. Tha Indo's. Heavy assault. Sent their Feline commando's in. Artillery day and night. They had learned ta lace their shells with silver. Chopped my mated ta shit. We were cut off. They came at us from two sides, and breached our perimeter. So damn fast. They were just so fast. Fast and bloody. Three days of bombin and suicide runs and we got no support. Couldn't bring our guns ta bear fast enough ta defend. Eventually, we ran outta ammo. Then is was close quarters combat. Claw and fang . Our Fleshie support didn't make it much past tha second day. Third day. knee deep in tha mud, and blood and tears, i heard tha round that got me.
90mm shell. Landed pretty much at my feet as i was scroungin ammo off a dead Snarl. Blew me ta shit. Nearly blew me in two. Cost me tha freedom of Shiftin at tha expense of constant pain. I relived those three days. Knowin all along what was comin. Knowin i was still in Tox, but trapped in my own head. Waitin fer that sound. Seein Indo Felines in every shadow. Seein uniforms on my friends, knowin what was waitin fer them , or, at least, what was waitin fer tha uniforms. This is what i spent three days relivin. At least my marksmanship hasn't faltered. I was seein ghosts, and thats all i shot. by all accounts, not a single Tox resident caught any of my lead. and i melted out tha barrel of my P-90. Her Ladyship collected my M-4. Clever, but, i awready knew that.
They finally worked out what had happened, and by good bloody luck, someone knew a cure. Zion of tha Coven, in fact.
Other news.
Abby got outta Zion, and tha other way too. Seems Rago and Abby are actually pairin up, not just scrumpin. thats sweet, shes a good kid, fer what she is, a crazy mix of Fallen and Fleshie, with a now-Feather mum and a dead-possessed-void-lost-step-mum. i been tryin real hard ta keep her safe. Least i could do. Least i SHOULD do. I couldn't bring tha Huntress back, she was outta my reach, i guess.
She's back too, i hear. gonna make her a bot-bod. Metal-Huntress. Great, now she's gunna be rusty and cranky as all fuck.
Kishi tried ta make a pass. More tryin ta get me off kilter ta mess with my head. Shoulda seen Her Ladyship and Joah jump too. It does a critter plenty good ta be looked after. I swear, they think i'm a breakable poodle or somethin. Its embarassin, but at tha same time, i'd not give up that feelin of care fer tha world and all its steak. I been gettin close with Joah too. She's afraid of what she is. I need ta make her feel safe in that. Ta live afraid of yerself aint livin at all. Spirit-gal needs that, i think. Maybe i can show her. Maybe. I'd like that. i like her a lot.
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