Castle Hydra: Next Generation

[lycrawaterz14]

"Thanatos." Kenan said smugly. Adele gasped. "You can't do that!" Kenan smirked again. "Why not? He's..." He cleared his throat. "He's not his father."

[frostmourne]

"And there the children of dark Night have their dwellings, Sleep and Death, awful gods. The glowing Sun never looks upon them with his beams, neither as he goes up into heaven, nor as he comes down from heaven. And the former of them roams peacefully over the earth and the sea's broad back and is kindly to men; but the other has a heart of iron, and his spirit within him is pitiless as bronze: whomsoever of men he has once seized he holds fast: and he is hateful even to the deathless gods," Kerria recited, quoting a Greek poet whose name she couldn't recall. "Some poet said that about Thanatos. I don't remember who taught me about that though. I think when I was very little, there was someone...someone...I don't remember them. Just some vague figure." "Like a walking stick with big tuna fish eyes. Really thin. If you gave them a hug you'd get a paper cut." she said languidly. Kerria blinked and shook her head a little. "It also means peaceful death. I'm not particularly fond of it, but if you like it..."

Edited June 13, 2013 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

"I don't mind, whatever you want beautiful." He murmured, happy to hear her again. "What do you want?"

[frostmourne]

Kerria smile widened and she blushed a little. "I'm not sure. I do lik-" "Delantos. Has a nice ring to it." Kerria stopped smiling and put her head in he hands, struggling to keep her breathing normal. Her headache kept getting worse and worse. Her eyes watered from the pain it caused. She closed her eyes and pulled her knees to her chest. Abruptly her head came up and she looked at Kenan. "I think I might have broke her. I was jealous. You said she was beautiful." It was hard to tell which personality this one was, but it was clearly one of the sadistic ones.

 

Jared stared at them through the cameras, all his emotions completely burnt out by now. He felt hollow and vacant, like he smallest thing would push him over the edge of a knife thin cliff. He watched and waited for Aza to show up again. Comparing the fragmented pieces of her left to what she used to be was like comparing a few grains of sand to a desert. Oversimplified and not nearly as complex. He hoped she would come back, because the alternative was to painful to consider.

[lycrawaterz14]

(Best of luck moving~)

 

Kenan smiled. "All of your peices are beautiful. Now if only you were whole..." He signed, and tried to sit up. Adele eased him up, and he wobbled. Slowly he maintained his sitting position. "Do you really like Delantos?" He asked, reaching out to hold her.

[frostmourne]

((I've moved, but it's the unpacking a setting up the Internet I'm worried about. ))

 

"She isn't part of me. She's my replacement," Aza said, staring at Kerria's body with cold disdain. She did edge closer to wrap an arm around him, but she didn't look especially pleased. "I do like the name though. It isn't too far off from your suggestion. Any other ideas?" she asked, her tone and personality shifting completely. She stiffened as it changed again. "I think I should just kill her. Kerria so bothersome. Without her mind in the way, I might be able to piece myself back together faster." Kerria shuddered and buried her face in Kenan's shoulder, crying softly. "It hurts. My head," she whimpered. She had a vague sense something wasn't right, but it was hard to think through the agony.

[lycrawaterz14]

He pet her hair. "No. Don't..." Kenan clutched her close. "You need her. And I do." He cooed, gently rubbing the palms of her hands and her back. Of course he wanted his Asa back. But she would come in time. Shattering her even further wouldn't help. And Kerria was what he craved. More affection, more tenderness, but still his Aza. Kerria had the one thing the old Aza could never give... Trust.

[frostmourne]

Kerria visibly relaxed, able to forget her headache for a bit. "She's better, isn't she? She is everything I was, and then some. The only things that didn't assimilate were the bad traits. The ice queen, the child, the deluded, the liar, the weakling, and the murderer. I'm the one you don't need. It's fine. I'll go then." Kerria sighed happily as her headache receded. She curled up against him, and twisted her neck to kiss him softly. She laughed quietly, clasping one of his hands. "I swear, you must be therapeutic. Don't ever leave."

[lycrawaterz14]

"It's still there, that's what makes you Aza, and I still love every one of those traits. They are all necessary, just not dominant." He murmured, laying his head on hers and tracing the new lines on her hands with his thumb, trying to memorize them.

[frostmourne]

Kerria blinked at him like she had no idea what he was talking about. "I'm sorry, who's Aza?" she asked innocently. None of he personalities spoke up. They seemed to be completely absent. Skulni peered through the mirror again, frowning at Kenan.

"This is why you don't make her jealous. She throws a tantrum," he said dryly.

"I'm not jealous. Should I be jealous? Do I throw tantrums? I'm really sorry. I must be such a pain to deal with," Kerria said, frowning and trying to remember what she had done. Skulni shrugged and stepped out of view again. His head popped back into the mirror and gestured towards the window.

"Here comes Daddy Dearest. You had better have one hell of an excuse for what happened to his littlest princess." Kerria didn't bother to try to make sense of what he was saying, rushing to the window. A black carriage was approaching the mansion. Kerria tugged on a bell pull and the faceless staff was back, hurriedly cleaning and preparing. How they had managed to come back after being torn to shreds and eaten by a horde of shadows, wasn't quite clear. Kerria didn't address it. She walked up to a keypad and attempted to shut off the computer. A camera swiveled to stare at her, but the computer wasn't switching off.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan seemed hurt that they had all disappeared. He didn't speak, merely nodding.

[frostmourne]

"Those weren't yes or no questions," Kerria sighed. She whirled around the place like a small tornado. She paused and ran a comb through her hair. She looked at Kenan for a moment, walked over and started to comb his hair, fussing over his appearance. There was a quiet creak followed by the swish of cloth on marble. Kerria immediately stiffened, stepped away and turned. "Good day, father," she said sweetly, smiling. She stopped and frowned once she really looked at him. "Political statement? They would not want you out of the Court." He merely nodded in her direction, folding back the pair of charred wings on his back. He seemed as unruffled and steely as usual.

"It takes a rather large incident for them to lose track of me. Fallen angels rising are large incidents. Now, Kenan, I believe we have something to discuss. Kerria, please go with Adrian." he said calmly, sweeping past them and into one of the rooms. A burnt feather drifted down in his wake. Kerria looked at Kenan worriedly, silently questioning why her father would need to speak with him. Adrian stepped into the room and towed Aza away.

"This is a P.R. nightmare. They're calling you Santa Muerte," Adrian snapped, still walking.

"Saint Death? Why? Shouldn't that be Kenan?" Kerria mumbled, confused with what was happening.

"Yes, but Santa Muerte is usually represented as a feminine figure. Basically, they're calling you the Grim Reapress."

"Why is that such a horrible thing?"

"In your position, you really don't want to be associated with death. It does terrible things for your image."

"Adrian, I'm getting married to him. I'm not sure how much more 'associated' I can get short of becoming him."

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan tailed her father closely, making sure to close the doors behind them. "Yes? He asked, slowly nodding. "I heard you were upset."

[frostmourne]

"You heard correctly. Now, would you like to elaborate on why my daughter is dead?" Arlex's asked with calm indifference. "Rumor has it that there was an incident in hell. I shall be visiting soon." The curtains drew themselves shut and the silence became very obvious. It felt like they had been completely cut off from the rest of the world. A fire sprang up in the fireplace and an armchair slide towards it. It looked welcoming, but somehow still felt like a trap waiting for a hapless victim. The emotionless, piercing gray stare fixed on Kenan did not lessen the sense of danger.

 

Kerria stopped walking and peered closely at Adrian. "This isn't about some silly name calling. What's wrong?" she asked, sounding a bit concerned. Adrian didn't answer, abruptly becoming stiff and cold. She drew closer and he stepped away from her.

"How could you do that? I trusted you, and when it mattered, you let me down. How could you just leave again? She can't just replace you. I don't care if Kenan thinks it's an improvement." he snapped. It didn't sound like he was the one talking. Kerria looked utterly baffled and a bit scared.

"I don't underst-"

"Forget it. I just can't stay in that house any longer," Adrian said briskly, resuming walking. He regretted saying anything. It wasn't really her fault, but the depression he felt in the mansion was driving him mad.

Edited July 4, 2013 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan was quiet, and leaned up against a drawn curtain near a window. "Yes. In a way. I have spoken to Aza, and she isn't... dead... But I should have watched her better. It is my fault... My sister's husband had taken her, and whatever had resided within her chose to kill her there. He was just as baffled as I. He intended to hold her for ransom for his son. Whatever happened was an accident on his end. But... I..." He turned back to her father. "Will she come back? She told me she had shattered into seven people... I couldn't see her hurt anymore. I told her the way she was now was better, in hopes it would give her some rest... She won't stay, will she? This... Kerria? My Aza will return, won't she?" He bit his tongue. "I shouldn't hope as such. I know she is merely a vessel to most." He said bitterly. "I... Believe I may come to love Kerria, but as of now, I only love the parts of her that remain from Aza."

[frostmourne]

"Much better news than expected. I shall need to borrow her for a few days," Arlex said with icy disinterest. He didn't bother to answer any of Kenan's questions and didn't looked concerned at all by what he had said. Adrian and Kerria appeared in the room with a slighy gust of icy wind. Kerria blinked and looked around for a moment before she realized what had occurred. "Kerria, I have to be off. I would like you to come to the Court with me for a while." Kerria opened her mouth to protest, but with another cold breeze, they were gone. Adrian glared at Kenan as if blaming him for what just occurred.

"What did you tell him? You didn't tell him the truth, did you? Please tell me you had the common sense to lie to him," Adrian asked, tense as a wounded animal. "You didn't lie, did you? We need to go. Now. Dress up, we're about to get attacked by a room full of cunning wolves in fancy clothes." Adrian grabbed a small briefcase and banged loudly on the mirror. Skulni stepped out of it and started to complain. He got thunked in the face by the briefcase in response.

"I do not exist to cater to your needs! Why are you still bothering me?" he continued to whine.

[lycrawaterz14]

"I told him what happened. I will go fetch her soon." Kenan said coldly. He had hoped her father would have known how to bring his only daughter back. "What the hell is in there?" He asked, eyeing the breifcase as if it held a bomb. "If that's a black robe with a hood, I'm going to kill you."

[frostmourne]

"Nononono. Not soon. Now. Now or not at all. He can bring her back alright, but you don't want to bring her back like this, trust me. She'll rip the whole world apart," Adrian said briskly, pulling on a pair of gloves. He grabbed an extra tie, threw on a jacket, and dragged Skulni towards the door. "Black cloak with a hood? Why didn't I think of that earlier? You should have reminded me earlier, now I don't have time to pack," he grumbled, irritated he had missed an opportunity to make a joke. He tossed the spare tie to Kenan and adjusted his own. "Put it on, and yes, we do look like lawyers. The briefcase has a speech, half a bottle of vodka, a shovel, a small crop duster, two nickels, an angry Italian housewife, pickle chips, and a portable version of Mr. Heartbroken in a flash drive. Also there might be a french fry or three. Breath mint?" Adrian said pleasantly, his mood becoming increasingly erratic the longer he stayed in the house. He stormed out, pulling Skulni screaming and kicking behind him. He relaxed when he was out of the door. "Did I say I had an angry Italian housewife in my briefcase? I'm never getting in that house again. Off we pop." Adrian stepped into a shadowy corner, clearly expecting Kenan to follow him.

[lycrawaterz14]

Adele reappeared, holding out a properly tailored suit. Kenan huffily changed, awkward and heavy in this damn suit... It was kind of Adrian to try, but he still got he suit too large in the chest and too small in the sleeves and pant legs. Wasn't Adrian's fault he had formed so awkwardly... It was his death that had made his formation take longer filling out. Good thing Adele kept up with everything. He stepped into the corner and took a deep breath. Once he was on the other side he sighed.

 

"What are we doing exactly?" He rubbed his temples, a small shudder escaping him. Adele held his elbow, unable to soothe him. "We need to have her properly acclimated... No more of this marriage ceremony crap." Adele grumbled to him. "ENOUGH! I'm doing this right!" He snapped.

Edited July 9, 2013 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

Adrian ignored them both, gazing at the group of nobles in front of him. They all stared down at him like a flock of vultures eyeing their next meal. He stared right back, and many lowered their gaze. "Where is the king?" he said calmly, his voice icy. There was utter silence in the Court. The room abruptly darkened as shadowy figures stood behind each member of the Court. "Do I have to repeat myself?"

"His Majesty has gone to hell, I believe," a frightened duke squeaked, glancing at the figure behind him with sheer terror. Adrian's lip twitched a bit. The man was dead meat. Showing fear in front of his colleagues was like throwing chum and pouring buckets of blood into already shark infested waters. He would be torn to pieces once Adrian left. Adrian turned and looked at Kenan. "One elevator trip down it is. And I must say, you actually don't look completely terrible in that suit. Mostly, but not completely." He stepped into another dark corner, Skulni clinging to a wall in a vain effort to avoid being dragged along.

[lycrawaterz14]

"As long as we don't run into Thantos..." He sighed. "That would be awkward... And thank you. You don't look horrid either." Kenan nodded stiffly to Adrian.

[frostmourne]

"I'm not sure we'd be the ones in trouble if me do. Arlex isn't particularly happy with him, and it isn't wise to make an enemy out of daddy dearest. But I digress. Let's get a move on. I really don't want to watch the bloodbath," Adrian said cheerfully, tipping his head in the direction of the Court. Its members were all staring at the man who had spoken, watching him for an opportunity. There was an air of menace in the room. Adrian wiggled his eyebrows and stepped completely into the shadows. He blinked as he stepped into a grassy hill. An old stone palace stood at the top. "This is hell? I expected it to be more...hellish." He walked to the bottom of the hill and nearly fell. The hill was floating several thousand feet above a deep, black abyss. It was utterly silent and he could feel the chilling cold even so far away. "No, this is just a small section. I created the entire place, a very long while ago. I ruled it for a few centuries, and then left. I think it has come under new management, but now that I have returned, I believe I will borrow this section for a spell. I do not plan to stay permanently, of course," Arlex said icily, joining him by the edge. Adrian jumped slightly and stepped back. He hadn't planned to get caught. "Kerria will be finished in a few more hours, and Aza will be back. May I enquire why you are here?" His tone was cold and clipped.

[lycrawaterz14]

"Merely to watch the process..." He dipped his head in respect. "I'm not abandoning her ever again. Even if it was an accident in the first place." He looked past him. "Where is she? I need her." He seemed anxious. "I have my guards on watch for Thanatos. If he even raised his head this morning..."

[frostmourne]

Adrian suppressed the urge to elbow Kenan vey hard in the ribs. "N-No. No. I want you to stop. This is going to kill Kerria. Sure, it'll bring Aza back, but it won't be the current Aza. It'll be that vicious thing that Jared first met. Nothing but a bloodthirsty monster that will stop at nothing to see the world choke on its own blood. An emotionless puppet! You have to let her go!" he demanded, paler than usual. Inside, he was absolutely terrified. He-well, no one- had ever defied Arlex like that. He was going to lose his head for this, he knew it. Arlex turned to stare directly at him, pinning him like a mouse under a hawk's glare. Adrian flinched, struggling to keep an impassive face. Surprisingly, Arlex looked away.

"If you insist. But I would like to know Kenan's opinion on this," Arlex replied, his voice unnaturally serene and placid. It was like a thin, smooth piece of ice that covered dark water that Adrian feared he would drown in. A storm was poised to break any second.

[lycrawaterz14]

"I want my Aza back. Not the monster within her, not the Kerria candy coating. Eventually the coating will fade. Just release her back to me, and I will keep her in safe hands. I swear to you. If it would please you to have Thanatos' head on a platter to assure you she is same I will make it happen." He was almost pleading, but definitely a threat. Kenan was on up here with Arlex, even if he wanted to deny it. A battle between the two would have a high casualty rate.