Castle Hydra: Next Generation

[frostmourne]

"Who? Me? What happened?" Aza asked, looking more confused with every word. She started towards the building where the screams seemed to be originating from. She was still far paler than usual, but she seemed to have no problem with movement now. Jared quietly kept pace beside her, keeping whatever thoughts he had to himself. Adrian slunk around at the back of the group, grinning like a fox. He eyed Arachne like he was about to stab her with the first sharp object he got his hands on. Aza glanced back and suppressed a smile. "Down boy." she called teasingly. Adrian wrapped his cloak tighter around himself like a bat drawing in its wings and changed into the shape of a indistinct black dog with ghastly red eyes. It really looked more like a wolf than a dog. It trotted up to Aza, playfully tipped its head to one side, and jumped on her. She was knocked sprawling but quickly jumped to her feet as a nearly identical but light gray wolf. She attempted a growl, but it came out more of a whimper and she nearly collapsed. Adrian immediately resumed his normal form and knelt down beside her, looking concerned. She shook her head, grew back to her usual shape, and kept walking. Adrian trailed behind, no longer cheerful. Jared watched Aza, staying close enough to help if she fell. "See a doorbell anywhere?" Adrian asked, staring at the building in front of him.

Edited December 12, 2011 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Adele laid her hand on it, looking wary. The door opened, and every face in the room looked just as wary as she did.

[frostmourne]

Adrian blinked and his expression drained of all emotion as well as Aza's. The two's faces might as well have been a closed book locked in a chest and thrown to the bottom of a sea covered in a layer of ice several miles thick."Well, won't this be fun. Have we gone through the wrong door?" he whispered dryly under his breath. "Who are they?" Aza whispered back. Neither of them could been seen speaking as the hoods of their cloaks had been pulled up when the door opened. The darkness hiding their faces made the deadpan completely unnecessary. "I'm sure they are wondering the same thing." Jared muttered. He gave Adele a questioning look, as if asking how to proceed. He hadn't bothered to put on a perfect poker face like the two shadow spirits beside him as he really didn't care what the people in the room thought of him as long as they didn't try to kill him. Those two act with all the elegance of misplaced aristocrats at all the wrong times...and this is a time where the ability to smile might be useful. They're all looking at each other like wolves.

[lycrawaterz14]

"They are just fellow reapers, waiting on the new king. Nothing to fear." Adele said, leading them up a flight of stairs that seemed to contain Kenan. "He doesn't want Aza to see him like this. That's why they're being cut off." she said in regard to the screams. They seemed to be more of grunts and winces now. "He's still alive while his body reconfigures itself. Imagine going under about seven major surgeries without any anesthetic." she said, waving them on.

[frostmourne]

Adrian dashed after her without a pause, seemingly eager to see Kenan in pain. He had the look of a scientist with a new, interesting lab rat. Aza looked disapproving of his enthusiasm, but followed as well. She hung back slightly with Jared, having a whispered conversation in Latin. "Veritus sum. (I'm afraid.)" she murmured. "Is ero teres. (He'll be fine.)" he said soothingly. "Non est quod timeas sum. (That isn't that I'm afraid of.)" Her gray eyes glittered with something he couldn't understand and she swept away to Adrian. "Aza, you ought to stop taunting me." he sighed. Queen and knight. Lady and servant. Best friends...but I'm not suppose to be. I'm not suppose to love, serve, and protect. I'm suppose to teach and nothing more. I have taught, and by all rights I should leave. Jared turned to looked at Arachne. "Aza will go berserk if you try to hurt Kenan again and Adrian won't be much help if she does. I know this is a rather offensive request, but could you please refrain from further injuring either of them in his current state?" he asked politely, warm golden brown puppy dog eyes out in full force.

Edited December 12, 2011 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne still looked broken. "I'll try." she murmured. Adele opened the door, and a disproportional person was half covered up by sheets and biting on a cloth. Kenan seemed halway between a sixteen year old and a young man in their late twenties. It looked odd, and Adele covered him up with the white sheet up to his neck. He grabbed her hand when she did. "Monst..." he choked out, looking pained. "You aren't a monster." Adele soothed, patting his saggy hair. Kenan shook his head. "Noaz... kep... way." he grunted, throwing her hand so hard her shoulder popped.

 

Adele rubbed it and looked at Aza. "He thinks you'll hate him."

[frostmourne]

"Thank you." he murmured. He paused and gave her a brief hug before running after the others. Adrian started laughing hysterically until he was gasping for air at the sight of Kenan. The look Aza gave him was so ferocious he sobered up immediately. "Get out." she hissed in a voice that was far more ancient, steely cold, and dangerous than her normal voice. It was the voice of true darkness, an aria of shadow and a promise of pain. Adrian practically ran out of the room. She turned back to Kenan and smiled, all anger fading. She dashed over, wrapped her arms around his neck and curled up beside him. "I don't care if you're ugly as Medusa and trying to tear me to shreds, I'm not leaving." she murmured. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes, clearly not going to budge an inch.

When Jared finally reached the room, he got knocked down by Adrian who was running out. He pulled himself to his feet and glared at Adrian. "Aza can be scary sometimes." he explained, looking almost embarrassed. Jared rolled his eyes and peeked in. His heart ached at the sight of the two. He drew his head back out and closed his eyes. Adrian had enough common sense to leave him alone. He hadn't realized he was crying until he felt a lone tear streak down his cheek and splatter on the page of the open book he was holding.

[lycrawaterz14]

He let out a shaking sob and put his hand on her cheek. "Sorry... I didn't... say... I l-love you..." he winced out. "Love you." he tried to hug her back but his body wouldn't listen. He manged to get an arm around her, that was the best he could do. He was now trembling, trying to stop screaming totally while Aza was there. He even attempted to smile, and was only partially successful. He just made a grimace. Now he was entirely worn out, all his energy gone. He fell asleep stroking Aza's cheek ad murmuring he loved her.

[frostmourne]

Aza was practically purring with satisfaction and was smiling like a cat that had just eaten a canary. The room dimmed to a comfortable semidarkness. It was more like the warm familiarity of the darkness under the covers of an old blanket than the cold shadows of an abyss. She snuggled closer to Kenan and smiled. She let herself relax and drift into a light sleep. She was happy and grateful for the hope she felt again. Aza was blissfully unaware of the heartbreak she was causing outside.

Jared sank to the floor and snapped the book shut before it could be further marred by the salt water. Silent tears trickled down his cheeks and an all too familiar loneliness began to grow again. Memories crept back to haunt him. He put his head in his hands and attempted to ward off the ghosts of the past. Adrian shifted uneasily, picking up on every emotion passing through him. He looked exceedingly awkward as he edged away from Jared slightly. He could have changed Jared's emotions ifhe wanted to, but then Jared would have hated him for it for the rest of eternity. Same went for Aza, but she would have the motivation to act on that anger. He would be hanging upside down for hours if he tried. He inched towards the door and peeked through. Oh. Well, that certain explains the crying.

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne was just crying relentlessly, blind rage being contained. "He'll pay..." she cried at Jared, attempting to comfort him. "I'll make him."

 

Kenan was just whimpering in his sleep, mumbled and scared words managing to make their way out. He looked miserable.

[frostmourne]

Aza opened her eyes a mere slit and hugged Kenan tighter. She used one hand to brush his hair behind his ears. She buried her face in his neck and hummed a lullaby softly. The song was eerie and sad and more likely to give someone nightmares than a peaceful sleep, but it was the only lullaby she knew. She didn't remember where she learned it from, but she suspected she had picked it up when Jared played the cello in the room across from hers sometimes. She closed her eyes again and her humming became coaxing and soft despite the malevolent tune.

"No. I'm being selfish. Aza would be unhappy without him and I couldn't bear to see her sad." Jared muttered, mostly to himself. He wiped away his tears and offered a handkerchief to Arachne. Adrian bit his lip and suddenly stepped into another void. He came back holding Jared's fox cub. The fox trotted up to Jared at whined, seemingly more dog in behavior than fox. It curled up on his lap and kept one hazel eye open to watch Arachne. Jared's expression brightened ever so slightly and he stroke its soft red fur.

Adrian looked satisfied with his work and created overstuffed chair. He sat down and began swishing wine around in a wineglass. He would have fit in perfectly if it were London in the 1800s or perhaps a later date.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan stopped whimpering, comforted near instantly ar Aza's touch.

 

Arachne just walked over and laid her head in Jared's lap, beginning to sniffle.

[frostmourne]

Jared blinked and open and closed his mouth several times. He looked exceedingly uncomfortable in the current situation. The fox cub yelped as its spot was claimed and pounced on Arachne. It curled up on top of her, it's light weight barely noticeable. Adrian looked like he was fighting back laughter and turned away. He couldn't help a tiny smile as the scene reminded him of a slightly happier memory. Aza rushed into Jared's study, her dark hair flying and her midnight blue dress swirling around her ankles. Jared looked up, startled, from the old book he was reading. Before he could he get a word in edgewise she flew at him and began sobbing into his chest. After a moment's hesitation, Jared wrapped his arms around the Earl's daughter, careful not to be too intimate. There was a fine line that Jared had learned not to cross. He was, after all, her mentor. And nothing more. "What's wrong Aza?" Her voice was muffled by his green robes. "My father has arranged my marriage for next week! I won't marry Casper! I told you a long time ago Jared, I won't do it! I just can't!" He gently prised her arms off him and examined her from a distance. She looked so fragile, so desperate, that Jared longed to put his arms around her again. But the young scholar had learned to practice self-control long ago. He peered out the open window, the moonlight reflecting in his dark green eyes. Aza shooed Jared's fox cub off an old amchair and sat on it, placing her chin in her hand. She looked up at him. Even through her sadness Jared could see that old spark of spitfire in her eyes, the eagerness to get revenge on her father for this horrible decision. Defiance was clearly written on her face, and her hands were balled into fists. She would run to the ends of the earth with him, just as long as they got something done along the way. She was too trusting. Aza put all her faith in him, sometimes when he didn't even deserve it. "You have to help me Jared." Her voice trembled slightly. He turned to face her again. He transformed his face into an expressionless mask so she wouldn't see the longing in his eyes. She rose, her eyes swimming again. She was inches away from him now. He stared at the floor, a pink tinge appearing on his pale face. A tear ran down Aza's face. "Please look at me!" Jared dried her tears and wrapped his arms around her again, looking like he never wanted to let go. He wasn't aware of the wickedly grinning face peeking through the door until the next morning.

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne didn't even seem to care, lying there with the fox pouncing on her. She even reached up and pet it.

 

Kenan stirred in his sleep and whimpered before yanking Aza close to his chest and wrapping his armss tightly around her. He mumbled softly what sounded like coos of comfort.

[lycrawaterz14]

(Timeskip?)

 

Kenan Now sat on his father's throne, listening to whispery complaints. He would occasionally mumble a 'no', or 'I'm not my father. I say that's allowed.' He seemed anxious, and his eyes were hidden by his shaggy hair. "Where is Aza? I wish to see her before I have to leave." He suddenly demanded. Adele bowed a bit and ran off to fetch her. She shook her gently to wake her. "Aza? Kenan wishes to see you..."

[frostmourne]

((I suppose?))

Aza stifled a scream as her eyes snapped open. She immediately pulled back the left sleeve of her cloak so hastily she almost tore the delicate silk. Four long trailing scars ran from her elbow to her wrist, standing out in stark contrast with her pale skin. Whoever had inflicted those scars must have had fingernails as sharp as broken glass. I can't even close my eyes with out being scratched. she thought. They faded quickly and Aza regained some measure of composure. A snarl in her hair quickly straightened itself out as she rose. Hearing mad laughter outside, she swept through the doorway. Adrian had managed to steal a book from Jared, and was waving it back and forth in the air. A vine shot out and tripped Adrian, who dropped the book which was easily caught by its owner. The vine also managed to tear off the cloak he was wearing as the cloth snagged on the thorns. Underneath the cloak he was wearing a perfectly tailored gray suit that looked like it probably cost an astronomical amount. He looked like he just stepped off some runway in Milan. Or at least he would if he wasn't hanging from his ankles with an indignant scowl on his face. Jared turned to look at Aza with a slightly forced, apologetic smile. It reminded her of an adult trying to make a child smile. The look on his face made her feel like the cruelest being in existence. It was torturous to know her closest friend had been suffering and she was the cause of it. Aza sighed and turned to Adele. "Lead the way." she said, some false cheer in her voice.

Adrian cleared his throat loudly and shot a meaningful look towards Jared. "What? I'm not letting you down until you solve Hilbert's eighth, sixteenth, and twenty third problems." he responded. "Aren't those suppose to be impossible?" Adrian looked rather disgruntled as he tried to remember who in the world Hilbert was. Jared ignored him and returned to his book. The fox cub had returned to the mansion a while ago.

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne still laid at his feet, in mourning of her potential life. Adele led Aza by the wrist through the twists and turns of the castle, and finally stopped behind the throne. An absoluteyly evil voice hissed Leave me!!! and every reaper scrambled for their lives. Adele stood in front of the throne. "I brought her." Adele smiled. "Is she alright?" he mumbled, sounding pained. His voice was now like his father's, airy and dry. "Just the way you left her." She nodded. "Why do I smell blood then? ...Aza? What happened? Please come here..."

 

Adele gasped. "Master, you are still in pain. You should not be here! You should be in bed. I knew it was too so-" "I'm fine Adele. You worry so... please come here, Aza... I want to know what you think... my appearance will never change again.."

[frostmourne]

Aza's gave a genuine smile and practically bounced over. "I think you really need a cough drop." she said lightly, beatific smile taking any sting out of her words. "But then, sometimes I need one too." an icy, malevolent voice murmured. It seemed to be disembodied, but Aza's grin abruptly took on a darker, sadistic edge. She laughed, and the cheerful air resumed like nothing happened. "Do you really think you could send me running if you looked that way for the rest of eternity?" She was carefully shying away from his other questions. She closed her eyes and was about to make a rose when she felt the cold hand again. Her eyes flew open, but the touch didn't fade away. It tapped lightly on her collarbone before closing around her throat. She did her best to hide it from Kenan until she felt the hand making tiny nicks in the skin of her throat. She couldn't help but flinch and try to push away the invisible hand. Her fingers went right through the place the hand should have been and more cuts appeared. They sealed almost as quickly as they were created.

Jared still looked distinctly uncomfortable and hadn't the slightest clue how to cheer Arachne up. He was utterly dejected and miserable and could find no cure for himself, let alone others. Adrian was still hanging a few inches from the ground as he debated which answer sounded less ridiculous. He gave up and instead devised a way to cut himself free. He wrote a brief letter, attempting to mimic Aza's script. Jared didn't notice, too absorbed in reading. He looked at Adrian before he had time to execute his plan and let the plant rip the falsified letter to shreds.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan seemed to purr with satisfaction before he smelt traces of blood. He snatched up Aza with lighting speed. "Adele. Tell every reaper to find the monster of the mirror. When they do, let them tear him to shreds. The reaper who brings me this will be rewarded most kindly..." he hissed, and stroked Aza's face and tried to protect her neck. "Aza, I can't help you if you hide from me..."

[frostmourne]

Aza shook her head sadly and lowered her hands. "When he said mirrors, he meant any reflective surface. Don't try Kenan. He won't severely injure me and he'll leave me alone as soon as he's bored." she said soothingly, pulling his hands away and holding on to them. She noticed that the cuts had all sealed and no new ones were being made. She couldn't feel the clammy touch anymore and relaxed slightly. She then realized there was something heavy wrapped around her neck. A golden necklace with large fiery red jewels set in it was fastened around her neck. It was radiating a unpleasant heat and and Aza immediately yanked it off and threw as far from her as it would go. She tossed it with enough force to make the rubies shatter and severely dent the gold. There was a hint of unease in her eyes as she turned back to Kenan. "I never liked huge, heavy pieces of jewelry anyway." she joked tremulously. She looked ill and on edge, twitching at every unexpected noise. She moved closer to Kenan and gripped his hand tighter. "He'll go away eventually. I'll just grin and bear it until then." she murmured mostly to herself. A small smile graced her lips, but her eyes were still wide open. She was afraid to close her eyes in case the cold hand decided to scratch her to bits this time.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan picked her up and sat her beside him in the thron, an arm around her protectively and his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry you have to bear this." he murmured, and kissed the back of her hand. "I'm going to ask your father to revoke the engagement... maybe that will hel-" Kenan broke into a fit of coughing, turning his head away from Aza. "S-sorry..." he said weakly, and rubbed his side. "Something just popped into place..."

[frostmourne]

Adrian suddenly stopped struggling against the vines holding him and immediately was dropped. Adrian picked himself up and glared at Jared. "Why'd you do that?" he snapped. Jared didn't respond, shock freezing him in place. "If your eyes open any wider, your eyeballs are going to fall out of their sockets." he said mockingly. Jared had seen a necklace with a snarling mountain lion carved out of jet hanging around Adrian's neck for a moment. Oddly, it seemed to have vanished. "You're an assassin aren't you? But not a Steel Wolf?" Jared asked, voice an octave higher than usual. Adrian feigned ignorance perfectly and rearranged his expression to look insulted. "Are you accusing me of being a murderer?" he asked quietly, danger in his tone. Jared appeared not to notice and kept talking. "You had a necklace with a carving of an apex predator. Need I remind you of...." Jared trailed off. Adrian looked at him flatly and Jared was suddenly unsure of himself. Had he been jumping to conclusions?

"Father already disapproves of Skulni, which means Skulni will soon wish he was dead." Aza stopped speaking when Kenan started coughing. "Adele was right. You should still be resting." she resumed, frowning. She allowed herself to relax and her eyes drifted almost half closed. Someone approaching made her stiffen and look up. Her previous fears returned and whatever measure of comfort Kenan's presence brought had diminished slightly. She gripped his hand tightly.

Adrian suddenly straightened and dashed away. Jared followed uncertainly and stopped before a door. Adrian crashed in without so much as a knock while Jared remained timidly standing outside. Adrian picked up the mangled piece of jewelry with impatience. He had obviously thought his cousin had been hurt. "Aza, is it really so hard to actually tell someone that you don't like a gift instead of trying to hurl it to Africa?" he huffed. He left the room without even stopping to chuckle at the sight of Kenan. He was in a dark mood and it showed.

[lycrawaterz14]

"I'm fine. Skulni will be dead if he shows his face anywhere near my reapers." Kenan mumbled. At her hand tightening security in the castle increased ten-fold as the guards began receiving commands. Every inch of the castle was now being watched. "Hello Adrian." he smiled at him the second he entered the room. "Aza, is it really so hard to actually tell someone you don't like a gift instead of trying to hurl it to Africa?" Kenan reminded himself to apologize to Aza for cutting her off.

 

"Adrian, next time you barge into my throne room unannounced and rudely I won't hold back the guards. Just ask any moving shadow you feel to warn me you're coming, or at least knock. Especially when I have requested everyone to leave me." he said, more hateful than he intended. He liked Adrian, he did, but an example had to be made from someone. "Sorry Aza... I didn't mean to interupt." he said to her, rubbing her palm with his thumb.

Edited December 31, 2011 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

Adrian first grumbled something incoherent and continued to head away. "How disappointed I am in your manners. Technically, you are suppose to be a visiting ambassador." Aza called after him with a wicked smile. "I do think Kenan will forgive my inherent rudeness after all the 'care' you're lavishing on him." Adrian scoffed, walking away without a pause. Aza looked faintly amused and perhaps just slightly embarrassed. "By the way, you're heartless." Aza winced, feeling a grain of truth in his words, and turned away. During the long silence, Jared quietly left his position at the door. Aza looked up again just in time to see the corner of a dark green cloak whisk out of sight. "He had been standing at the doorway in plain sight waiting for someone to notice him all along? Adrian is becoming far too fond of cruel jokes." Aza whispered, closing her eyes as if to hide tears. She realized her mistake just in time and opened them again.

Adrian was smiling horribly as he listened to the havoc he wrecked. He easily stepped inside a gaping black hole that appeared on the ground. It snapped shut so quickly after him that it almost snipped off a lock of his hair. Jared frowned and ran outside before seeming to diminish. He left a delicate, white flower with bloodred stripes inside where he had been. He knew Aza would understand if she ever found it. Jared reappeared in a forest composed entirely of pure snowy white dead trees. There were white flower petals forming a velvety carpet, stirred occasionally by a silent gust of wind. It was a surreal, sad landscape. It had the somberness of a graveyard and the peacefulness of a mountain lake. What was strangest about the place however was that the very person he was trying to escape was standing amid the petals with an impudent smirk. Adrian was grinning from ear to ear as he ripped up a petal.

[lycrawaterz14]

"It pains me to see Jared like that... I have an ability similar to Adrians... I feel his pain... and... I need to talk to him...." Kenan murmured, and laid his head on her shoulder. "You should talk to him..."