Castle Hydra: Next Generation

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan held her and suddenly was standing in front of Jared. He didn't know what to do, so kept his head down and tried to dodge him. Arachne was fuming behind Kenan and it was obvious she had been crying, and was angry. Her anger was bubbling in a near murderous rage. She looked to anyone to comfort her, just so mad...

[frostmourne]

Miraculously, Jared managed to not fall apart at the sight of the two. He just gave a businesslike nod in the direction of the room where Aza's father was waiting. When Aza passed, he caught her by the shoulder and whispered something. A mischievous grin tugged at the corners of her mouth as she continued by. "May I be so bold to ask who you are?" Jared asked, turning to Arachne for the first time. A brief thought flickered through his mind that he should perhaps bring Adrian here to calm her.

Aza moved past Jared and paused outside the door. She glanced back at Kenan before pushing it open. Her father walked over to her and seemed to inspect her closely. He suddenly took her right hand and examined the angry red scar on the palm. It disappeared completely with a light touch. He dropped her hand and sat down in a chair in the corner. Aza also sat on a chair in the opposite corner. A threatening silence reigned for several long moments. "Aza?" he said, finally breaking the silence. She took a deep breath and began recounting what had happened of late, omitting any unnecessary details. The room got darker and darker the more she said and changed dramatically. It was far too dark for even the ones with keen night eyes to see. She, a creature of Absolute Darkness, couldn't even make out anything besides the terrifying gray gaze of her father. Darkness, real darkness, was something more than just the lack of light. Aza stopped talking when she could think of nothing else to say. Her father rose in one fluid movement and light sullenly flickered into existence. The room had undergone another change. If the color rage was imaginable, it had been splashed over every wall. Rage, or something equally dense and seething, was hanging from every chandelier, resentment woven into thick carpets padding the cool marble floor, hatred flickering in the center of each candle's flame. Aza flinched back and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. The last thing she had expected was a gentle touch on her cheek. "Aza, you silly girl. Did you ever think I would really try to hurt you?" a grave voice said from quite close to her. Aza's eyes went wide with shock as she detected something she had never heard before in his cold voice. Pride with a hint of....affection? She risked a glance only to be disappointed that the momentary caring was already gone. He was back to terrifying in mere seconds as he drew himself up to his full height and took a step back. Aza turned to leave and was almost out the door when she heard the gentle voice again. "Congratulations."

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne's eyes watered. "Someone wo wasn't good enough...millenia... still not good enough. She fumed harder, and took a few angry uncharted steps toward Kenan, like she intended on harming him, but was too enraged to see. Kenan returned to Aza's side as soon as she exited. "You alright? What did he talk to you about...?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

[frostmourne]

Aza stared at him blankly, like she didn't recognize him. Jared sighed impatiently and walked over. He looked her over and gave brief nod of satisfaction. "Her father approves, she hasn't been hurt, and she's going to run out of here screaming any second now." he sighed before backing away. Aza continued to stare ahead blankly, like she was lost in thought or perhaps just lost. The entire palace started turning into a mirror copy of the environment of the room. It gave off an impression that her father was not pleased at all. It looked more like he was furious and the next person to meet him would be very sorry indeed. Aza seemed to snap out of her trance, took one glance at the hallway, and winced. She didn't pause to tear away from the palace without as much as looking back. She was barely out of the castle when Jared grabbed her hand. She halted and turned around, looking annoyed. "Aza, what's wrong? Why did you run?" "I remembered Adrian said there was situation in the mansion. He told me just now that he wanted me to come back and it was an emergency." she said. "You don't need to. I was the 'situation'." Aza was going to question him further but closed her mouth and shook her head. "It's better if I don't know." She started to make her way back. When she did get back, she turned to look at Arachne. Her eyes narrowed and watched her warily, like a hawk watching a fox get too close for comfort.

Edited November 14, 2011 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

The second Arachne was alone with Kenan she grabbed his throat. He wrenched up and restrained her and yelped, but before the sound made its way to a guard's ears she had latched onto his neck, a deep bite delivering venom.

 

Kenan saw stars and the pain was unbearable. He yelled louder, and managed to get his hands around her hair and yank. She tried to latch on but Kenan gasped and used all of his strength, throwing her across the room. The air hitting the wound only increased the pain. He held the wound with his hands, trying to stop the bleeding. Arachne was crying.

 

"If I can't have you, no one can." she hissed, and took off. Kenan fell to his knees.

Edited November 14, 2011 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

Aza ran over and knelt down beside him, Jared trailing behind her. He wordlessly passed her a small dagger. She cut deeply into one of her wrists and pressed the bleeding wrist to the wound on Kenan's neck. She watched as her blood absorbed the poison and closed his wound before seeping back into her veins. It took several moments just to absorb all the venom, for it had spread relatively fast and covered more distance than she had expected. The cut on her skin faded without a trace, but her veins started turning black from the poison. It showed clearly against her pale skin. An involuntary whimper escaped her clenched teeth as her blood attempted to neutralize the venom. She slumped to one side with exhaustion and pain. The venom was destroying and being destroyed at the same rate, and Aza had simply lost too much blood to fight it much longer. She curled up into a little ball and waited for the pain to end. Occasionally Jared would hear a muffled sobbing sound. After a while she simply stopped making any noise at all and stopped moving. He sighed with relief as he saw that her veins had returned to normal and knew that there were only trace amounts of venom left. Jared was going to pick her up, but looked at Kenan, as if asking permission.

Edited November 14, 2011 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan tried to protest Aza harming herself, but the blood in his lungs wouldn't let him. He closed his eyes as he slumped to the ground, and feebly nodded at Jared while trying to stand but was unable. He seemed worn out, and worried. He grunted and got to his feet, swaying from the blood loss. "Sh... beok?" he asked, his words slurred.

[frostmourne]

Jared scooped Aza up and turned his head to look at Kenan. "She's been through much worse. She'll live, but beyond that I cannot say." he said quietly. He started to walk down the hallway. He stopped at one of the doors and made his way in. He put her down on the small bed in the corner and sat down next to her. He simply kept a watchful vigil over her, not even blinking. She didn't wake, but remained as limp and cold as if she were dead. Jared leaned down and whispered something in Latin. The room got darker almost imperceptibly before returning to its normal brightness. Jared seemed encouraged by the sign and relaxed enough to blink again. The room was old and sparsely furnished. It was clearly an usually unused guest room. Jared thought for a bit and then grew another bed beside Aza's. It was rather comic to see the cotton plants actually making the sheets. A chair grew at the foot of Aza's bed. "You should get some rest. I'll watch her for you." he said in the same soft tone he used before.

[lycrawaterz14]

"N-no..." Kenan said, barely making it to the doorframe. "You've done... so much. I... can't ask anything mo-" he coughed dryly. His nose was bleeding now, and he was dizzy.

[frostmourne]

Jared raised an eyebrow and stood up. The wooden floorboards shifted underneath Kenan's feet slowly, moving forward as other boards slid out of the way. Once he was close enough, a wild tangle of ivy vines shot over and gently tugged Kenan into the small bed next to Aza's. Next a Storksbill plant sprouted close to the entrance. The plant had compound leaves with oblong leaflets that Jared plucked off and started boiling. He put the tea on the nightstand close to Kenan's bed. "That will stop whatever bleeding you still have and help with the headache and whatnot. I can't do anything for Aza besides a blood transfusion and no one has a blood type that matches hers closely enough. I think Solomon's Seal would help, but it's commonly used in love potions so..." Jared trailed off. "It's up to you whether or not to give it to her or not. I'm expecting Adrian to barrel down the door any minute now, and he's certainly not going to let me give her anything to do with a love potion."

 

((By the way, Solomon's Seal actually is commonly used in love potions and has medicinal properties for insect venoms and stomach problems. Storksbill tea treats bleeding and the poultice induces sweating.))

[lycrawaterz14]

"As long as it won't hurt her." He growled, looking like a wet cat. He hated being confined.

 

(Had no clue. And I want to be a botanist. This is sad.)

[frostmourne]

((Plant crazy grandmothers are great teachers for aspiring botanists.))

"If you insist..." Jared murmured. He plucked a few leaves off of the plant and also made it into a tea. Instead of pouring it into a cup, he put just a few drops on a spoon-shaped leaf. The plant grew over, carefully balancing the tea and let a few drops slip between Aza's lips. There was a odd choking sound and she sat bolt upright. "Kenan! Are you alright? And the tea tasted horr-" Aza started. She broke off and had a rather dreamy expression on her face. "Adrian is going to kill me. I think I'd better out of the room..." Jared mumbled, practically running out. The dreamy look lessened a little and a dangerous smile slipped into place as she turned to look at Kenan. I think it would be safest just to put her in a straitjacket until it wears off. Jared thought, waiting outside.

Edited November 14, 2011 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan frowned and shadowstepped out of the vines and such restraining him. "Ow... that was rough..." He growled, and shakily stood, rubbing his head. "You alright Aza?"

[frostmourne]

One of the vines untangled itself from the rest and rose a few feet into the air. "You could have just asked..." it said quietly before dissolving into a pile of dust. Aza stared at Kenan and the smile faded back into the stuck, dreamy expression. She wobbled unsteadily as she tentatively took a step forward. After a few moments, she seemed to regain her senses and the absentminded expression vanished. Several vines wrapped themselves around her and placed her back on the bed. "She needs to sleep it off." Jared murmured as he made his way back into the room. She struggled against the vines, protesting that she was fine. A exotic-looking morning glory with a sharp thorn in the center bloomed on a vine close to a vein in her wrist. The thorn pricked the vein and she stopped struggling. The vines loosened and snaked back into the ground. It gradually grew darker in the room and Jared quietly exited the room. He paused before locking the door and after some thought, left it open just crack so Kenan could get out. He doubted he would though.

[lycrawaterz14]

At the sight of her blood Kenan snapped, ripping the vines off with a low growl. He crushed the flower in his hand, and when he opened it again dust reappeared. "Who are you to tell her what she needs to do?" he snarled, and offered Aza a hand.

[frostmourne]

"You really shouldn't have done that..." Jared said evenly. The room suddenly brightened and the moment the thorn was ripped out, the blood started flowing freely. This time, it didn't heal. Jared tightly wrapped a bandage around it, but the blood didn't stop flowing. "I am someone who she's known for three hundred twenty years. If I wanted to harm her I would have done it when she was the six year old girl crying her eyes out because her favorite aunt died." he said in a voice barely louder than a breeze through a tree's leaves. "And you may have just made the situation worse." Jared sighed with relief as the flow of blood slowed and stopped. Aza looked paler and tired as she shuddered and turned away from both of them. Jared rose from his kneeling position and snuffed out the lone candle at the other corner of the room. He sat down on the chair at the foot of the bed, eyes flickering with an odd emerald fire. He still looked perfectly calm, but he was as close to angry as he had been in several decades now. He suddenly seemed to droop and the fire died out from his eyes. "I should just leave. I'm making this unnecessarily painful for everyone." he mumbled miserably. Edited November 15, 2011 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

As soon as the blood stopped Kenan returned to normal. "S-sorry..." he mumbled, more tired that before. "I didn't... instinct..." he mumbled, seeming worn out. He looked sad and placed a ring on the nightstand next to Aza's bed.

 

"You better stay." Kenan said angrily, before calming again. "I'll be back in a matter of a few days. If I don't..." he just turned towards the ground. "You better take care of her while I'm gone. Or else." He growled, and turned halfway to shadow.

[frostmourne]

Jared frowned and turned around in his chair to look at Kenan. "You do know that she'll be terrified if you leave without an explanation, right?" he said quietly. He rose in one fluid motion and walked over to where Aza was sleeping. He touched the bracelet on her wrist lightly, and it uncoiled and shrunk. Its ruby eyes glinted in the semidarkness. "Take it with you. She'll know what's happening if you do." he said, holding it out. The snake twisted its head and nodded once towards Aza before becoming stationary. "Don't worry about breaking it. She'll be able to make more when she wakes up." Jared said briskly. There was a slight hissing sound and Jared spun around, looking mildly alarmed. He looked out the door just in time to see the edge of a coal black cloak disappear around the corner. Jared winced as he thought about how enraged Adrian would be.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan shook his head. "I don't want her knowing." He mumbled, but pocketed the bracelet anyway, disappearing.

 

He was back in his father's palace, more specifically the soon-to-be-his throne room. He called out for his father before stepping up into the guarded pathway. The guards let him pass. "I'm here..." he sighed, and fell to one knee. He was suddenly nervous about his decision.

 

"Where is the girl? Has she abandoned you in your most dire moment?" Death seemed to chuckle. Kenan suddenly glared at the floor. "She was injured in saving me from an assassination attempt." he growled. Suddenly there was a murderous air. "Who made the attempt?" he growled in response. Kenan shook his head. "I intend to take care of it when I assume the throne." he sighed. Death stood up from his throne.

 

"You sure you're ready? I will not go easy on you. And one of us won't survive. You would have a sporting chance if you were to retire from your abilities..." Death said, concerned. Kenan smiled. "I'm good father. I promise. Let's go to the arena."

Edited November 16, 2011 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

"I thought so." Jared mumbled. She twitched slightly as he touched the place there the thorn had been ripped out. He drew back his hand and just stayed there for a few more moments. He rose as if to leave, but only went as far as the other side of the room. There he picked up a small notebook and set it down on the floor. Green letters flew across the paper, snatches of thought with an occasional illustration in the corner. The notebook was soon so scribbled over that it looked like it had been dropped in a bowl of green ink. The fluid seeped off the page and back into the ground, leaving the notebook as pristine as it use to be. Jared jumped as something touched his wrist and he relaxed slightly when he realized it was a jet black tangle of honeysuckle covered with moths. "Strange dreams tonight." he murmured, a chain of normal honeysuckle flowers looping around the shadowy one. The normal flowers were crushed to pieces as the shadow flailed blindly and Aza twitched a bit. The moths swarmed around madly, without purpose. Aza probably didn't even realize she did this when she dreamed. She didn't realize she inserted part of that dream into reality. Edited November 17, 2011 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan thought back in his own room, probably the last time he would see it. He removed the bandages from his chest, the open wounds bleeding again from his shadowstepping. He winced a bit and rebandaged them up with new gauze, trying to find a good standpoint. He was being risky, and didn't like it.

 

There was a knock at the door and he finished up and threw a shirt on. "Yes?" He opened the door and waited for them to speak. "I brought your weapons." A little servant said. He smiled. "Thanks Adele." He murmured softly, and pat the little girl's head. She held onto his hand. "I'll miss you..." She sniffled, and Kenan just pat her head. "I'll be back. And you can see me all you'd like. I'll be blind, so I can't hurt you." He ran his hand down her cheek. She sniffled. "Where's that pretty girl? Mara said she was beautiful, just as pretty as any reaper." Adele seemed to cheer up. He chuckled. "I assume so. Arachne hurt her. She's recovering back home. I left her a ring that will deliver a letter when she touches it. It should reveal the writing after my battle." He nodded. Adele rubbed her cheek against his hand, and shadowstepped back downstairs. Kenan closed the door back and fiddled with the bow on his bed.

Edited November 18, 2011 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

Jared looked surprised when the shadows suddenly winked out of existence. A soft whimper from the other side of the room drew his attention. Aza raised her head slightly and found the slightest movement made her dizzy. Jared went over and took her hand. "Aza, go back to sleep. You haven't recovered yet, and you'll faint again if you try going anywhere." he said softly. She shook her head and winced as that simple movement made the room whirl around madly. Jared sighed and gently pushed her back down. The pleading in her eyes made him hesitant to make her sleep again. He sat down beside her and brushed away a tear. "Are the nightmares really that bad?" he murmured. She just moved closer to him and kept a vice-like grip on his hand. "Will you go to sleep if I don't move?" She thought it over and nodded before relaxing and closing her eyes. Her grip on Jared's hand didn't loosen. "Still a child at heart...although if I had the same nightmares I wouldn't ever feel safe enough to go to sleep."

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan was in the back arena, getting ready to fight his own father. He wasn't sure he would win... at all... Adele was by his side again, steadying his nerves. "Aza should be here." she growled. Kenan shrugged. "She would be here if she could."

[frostmourne]

Jared reached over and picked up a needle from the nightstand. After deciding a red blood cell count would be useless, he put the needle back down. He winced as a loud ringing sound made Aza tighten her grip on his wrist. He glared at the shadowy person standing outside the doorway holding an alarm clock. "You know you shouldn't wake her up yet." he hissed, green eyes gleaming in the dark. "She might never see him again, so I think I have a reasonable excuse for dragging her out." Adrian replied smoothly, striding over. He picked her up, oblivious to her trembling, but suddenly stopped at the doorway. It was covered by a thick mesh of vegetation. "Must we do this?" he sighed, setting Aza down. "Alas, we must." Jared replied, rising. "She'll be furious if I hurt you. She's not going to die if I take her and she's not the only one who can sense what happens through a shadow." "You're using the bracelet to listen to whatever's been happening." Adrian nodded curtly and stared at Jared. Neither of them moved for several moments. "Fine. If she comes back with as so much as a hair out of place-" "I'll be in big trouble. I know." Adrian picked Aza up again and disappeared to the last place he had seen through the bracelet. He gently put Aza down and faded into the form of a mountain lion.

[lycrawaterz14]

The bracelet laid on the ground back in the area behind the arena, along with several assorted pieces of assorted armor. Adele shreiked for guards but they were all paying attention to the arena.

 

Kenan looked pale but determined in front of the thousands of reapers here to watch the fight. Death was in the crowd. Kenan spotted him and looked betrayed, and turned to where his opponent should come from.

 

The door rose up, and Arachne's face appeared, full armor, and her legs were gone. In their place was the eight legs and abdomen of a spider, and she seemed angry. "Cheating! This is cheating!" he called out, as soon as he heard her faint chuckle. The crowd seemed excited. "Death may always choose a stand-in if he is unable to fight himself." Someone announced. Kenan looked back to her.

 

"I can't do this! She's my sister!" he called, the crowd was unaware that 'Arachne' was an illusion. Mara stood at the opposite end, waiting. A loud sound was heard, and she charged.