Dark Link
High Status
I will grow stronger, no matter what it takes.
Posts: 324
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Hunted
Aug 2, 2007 20:01:51 GMT -5
Post by Dark Link on Aug 2, 2007 20:01:51 GMT -5
Dark's eyes flashed dangerously at the pity he heard in her voice. He hated these arrogant people that thought they understood his pain. He swung his sword at hers, intentionally parrying so that the blades could not block his face.
"You think you understand? You think you can pity me. Save your regrets for yourself. You know nothing of what its like to have a cursed fate thrust upon you, to be born as a dark existence, to always be the shadow of someone greater."
Dark was no longer having fun. He was enraged. True he wasn't entirely sure who he was angry at, but then Dark cared little about blame.
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Ember
High Status
Would you carry me from Hell to Home Tonight?
Posts: 90
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Hunted
Aug 3, 2007 7:18:51 GMT -5
Post by Ember on Aug 3, 2007 7:18:51 GMT -5
"Really? You think I know nothing about having a cursed fate thrust upon you, to have no choices?!"
Ember released her sword from contact with his, the clang of steel against steel echoed through the tomb, Dark's words had touched a nerve inside Ember, she knew what it was like to be born to a dark existence with no choices or ability to control what had happened to you.
"You mentioned that you saw the evil swirling around my heart, you think I understand nothing of a dark existence when I live as one day by day? Being hunted down for simply being alive, if you live in the shadows also I thought maybe you would have understood."
Ember realised the only way to end the conflict was to put away her sword, she sheathed Epiphany and kept her gaze on Dark. She refused to fight him.
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Dark Link
High Status
I will grow stronger, no matter what it takes.
Posts: 324
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Hunted
Aug 3, 2007 20:18:46 GMT -5
Post by Dark Link on Aug 3, 2007 20:18:46 GMT -5
"You...what are you doing? Get your sword back. Have you lost even your will to fight me now?"
Dark knew that this wasn't the case. If anything, she seemed even more determined then when he had first cornered her. It didn't make any sense. How was she planning to fight for her life if she didn't use her sword?
Dark wanted to kill this winded woman now more then ever, but there was something even more important. He needed her to know the truth. He could not send her to her doom thinking that she understood him. Still keeping his sword in hand, he began to rant angrily.
"You think you've seen darkness? You think you've reason to curse fate? You think your life is consumed by shadow? Bah! Yes, I see the evil around your heart, trying to overshadow it and claw its way in. Yet your heart its self is pure and complete. My heart is but a black fragment, a twisted piece of soul that was cast aside by its original owner. It is nothing but a mockery, a pale reflection of true greatness and-"
Dark cursed through gritted teeth. This line of thinking was dangerous. Despair was something to be placed in others' hearts, not dabbled in your own.
Why am I saying these things to her? Do I truly believe them? I know I must be greater then Link if I am to have any real hope of existence, but...
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Ember
High Status
Would you carry me from Hell to Home Tonight?
Posts: 90
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Hunted
Aug 4, 2007 12:31:03 GMT -5
Post by Ember on Aug 4, 2007 12:31:03 GMT -5
"No, I refuse to fight you."
Ember shook her head and slid down the wall where she sat on the dusty tomb floor, both hands now pressed over the deep wound, trying to get it to cease bleeding. After a moment's silence she looked back at Dark but suprisingly there was still pity in her eyes as she listened to his words.
Having a heart that was nothing but a black fragment, being nothing but a shadow of true greatness...it was sad to listen to someone describe themselves in that sense even though this stranger wanted to take her the doors of death and push her inside. She understood darkness although she was only a vessel for it Her soul was untouched by the Dreamscaper curse inside her which was unusual as most Dreamscapers went insane when their powers awakened. She coughed, it was getting harder to breath.
"You're more than a shadow."
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Dark Link
High Status
I will grow stronger, no matter what it takes.
Posts: 324
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Hunted
Aug 4, 2007 14:54:17 GMT -5
Post by Dark Link on Aug 4, 2007 14:54:17 GMT -5
"Bah. What do you know of such things?"
Dark's anger was melting into disgust. He hated pity. It was an emotion he did not understand himself. Not once had he felt pity for anyone he had battled, nor did he feel the need to pity himself. Why then should this woman feel such emotions towards him? It drained away at his will to kill her.
Could this be a part of the strange power I sensed in her earlier? Could it be a powerful spell that drains the battle aura out of an opponent? No, that does not seem likely. She is too weak to use such abilities, especially without my realizing it.
Still confused about the changes her words made on his own mood, Dark was considering whether or not he should kill her and put a stop to this strange phenomenon when he sensed something in the graveyard just outside the tomb: the presence of a murderous intent.
Dark looked back towards the entrance of the Royal Tomb curiously, turning his back on Ember. Who could be giving of such an evil aura? Certainly the Poe's that inhabited the graveyard were not good beings in nature, but their spirits were usually mild evil, like that of a prankster or a troublesome child. For one of them to be putting of such an evil aura...it was possible but unlikely. It could not be Ganondorf or one of the witches. Their aura's were much stronger, bent on destruction of all things rather then murder.
"Someone must be holding quite a grudge up there..."
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Ember
High Status
Would you carry me from Hell to Home Tonight?
Posts: 90
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 8:22:25 GMT -5
Post by Ember on Aug 5, 2007 8:22:25 GMT -5
"What?"
Ember cast out her senses and her heart sank as she realised that Giomanach at his gang of Hunters had entered the Graveyard, they must have been following her trail! She cursed under her breath and tried to get to her feet but her legs refused to support her and immediately buckling beneath her, head spinning from loss of blood. She couldn't run or fight them like this...if they caught her now it would mean only one thing, being brought before the Prince and charged in the way every Dreamscaper was...the death sentence.
"No...I've run for three years, they can't get me now."
Ember would rather die in this tomb in front of Dark then be dragged back to Demartes for execution, despair clutched at her heart in an iron grip and tears pricked in her eyes which she held back. She wasn't going to cry, she refused to let one tear fall but she felt the familiar pain in her head as three Phantasms burst forth from her subconcious, shaped like shadow warriors in black with flickering blades of darkness, as always she had no control over their actions. One leapt to strike dark with a hiss from deep in it's throat, another went to slaughter the approaching Hunters in a mindless bloodlust and the third turned on it's creature, blade raised.
'No...'
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Dark Link
High Status
I will grow stronger, no matter what it takes.
Posts: 324
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 11:53:07 GMT -5
Post by Dark Link on Aug 5, 2007 11:53:07 GMT -5
So distracted was Dark by the presence outside that he barely noticed the coming attack in time to block it. The clash of their blades had a very hollow sound to it.
"What the-" Dark growled and pushed the creature back with force. Were these creatures servants of the girl? They certainly seemed to be of the same evil essence he had sensed within her. But when Dark glanced at Ember, he saw that one of the phantasms was poised to strike her.
He can't be one of her servants if he intends to kill her. Perhaps these are spirits summoned from those others that just entered the graveyard. Yes, that makes much more sense, since that other one is about to kill-
Dark was between the phantasm and the Dreamscaper in an instant, blocking its blade with his own as it came down in a powerful arc. This one's strike had more power to it, and Dark had to plant his feet to hold the blade back.
"That's MY prey your trying to kill," he growled. The shadowy warrior merely hissed a reply.
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Ember
High Status
Would you carry me from Hell to Home Tonight?
Posts: 90
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 12:01:49 GMT -5
Post by Ember on Aug 5, 2007 12:01:49 GMT -5
Ember had closed her eyes tightly and awaited the strike of the blade...but it never came, she opened her eyes to see Dark standing in front of her, blocking the blow from the Phantasm. She didn't understand, merely moments before Dark wanted her blood but now he stood between her and the Phantasm. It didn't make sense, why? Ember's vision kept blurring despite her rapid blinking to clear it.
'Why?'
The shadow warrior put more force against Dark's blade, it's slitted eyes glowing red, much like Ember's blood on the stone floor of the tomb. It opened it's mouth, baring animalistic fangs and hissed again at Dark as if it intended to bite him. From outside there were cries as the other Phantasm met it's end at the blade of Giomanach and his Hunters.
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Dark Link
High Status
I will grow stronger, no matter what it takes.
Posts: 324
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 12:11:01 GMT -5
Post by Dark Link on Aug 5, 2007 12:11:01 GMT -5
Dark sneered as the warrior hissed at him, baring its fangs with murderous intent.
"I guess you were even uglier before you became a shadow," Dark taunted.
In truth, Dark doubted these creatures were Shadow Kin as he was. They felt more like nightmares then echoes. But that didn't really matter right now.
Not wanting to battle near Ember, Dark shifted his sword to guide his foe's blade down at an angle then shoved it away with his shoulder. He would have pressed his advantage, but the first phantasm he'd fought with came to strike him from the side.
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Ember
High Status
Would you carry me from Hell to Home Tonight?
Posts: 90
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 12:18:40 GMT -5
Post by Ember on Aug 5, 2007 12:18:40 GMT -5
The Shadow was pushed back but it came at Dark once again swinging it's blade, true this shadow was fast and animalistic but it's weakness lay in closing it into a small space where it couldn't dodge a blow, there it's strength would fail it. Despite seeming ethereal it bled as well although the fluids were dark and thick like tar.
Ember was having a hard time staying awake, now only vaguely aware of the battle going on barely feet from her and the shouts of the hunters from outside they picked up Ember's trail once again. Six sets of footsteps started heading towards the tomb, following the scarlet drops left by Ember's injury. Her eyes kept flickering shut but she forced herself to try and stop the numb feeling taking over her, digging her nails into her palm. Feeling pain was better than feeling nothing at all.
'Come on, I can't fall asleep now.'
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Dark Link
High Status
I will grow stronger, no matter what it takes.
Posts: 324
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 12:26:21 GMT -5
Post by Dark Link on Aug 5, 2007 12:26:21 GMT -5
Dark held off the two phantasms as best he could. The narrow passage made it difficult to get around them. What's more, he could sense the others from outside rapidly approaching their location. Dark cursed through gritted teeth.
"I don't have time for this foolishness."
Suddenly, he spun around with his sword outstretched. His spin was so fast that his blade seemed to draw a faint red circle around him and through the two phantasms. They fell back, bleeding thick black ooze.
Dark didn't bother to watch them bleed or listen to them howl. He began to mutter something under his breath. Shadows reached out from his body, pulled the already darkened tomb into utter blackness.
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Ember
High Status
Would you carry me from Hell to Home Tonight?
Posts: 90
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 12:36:51 GMT -5
Post by Ember on Aug 5, 2007 12:36:51 GMT -5
As the tomb plunged into darkness Ember felt herself gripped by a sudden panic, everything around her consumed by the inky blackness. She couldn't tell where Dark and Phantasms were by sight and her ears strained for any sound of swords clashing or Dark's mumbled cursing as he fought but she heard the howling and dying hissing of the two Phantasms...she knew that sound meant they had both met their ends. The sounds of the hunters getting closer every second and being too weak from bloodloss made what was left of the blood in Ember's body turn to ice inside her veins.
'Giomanach...He's here.'
Voices coming from outside floated into the darkness of the tomb.
"The trail leads in here Captain, the Dreamscaper is inside."
A man in his late twenties with inky black hair and the palest of blue eyes smirked widely, despite the Phantasm that attacked them killing one of his hunters that didn't matter, Ember was inside and no doubt gravely wounded from his earlier fight with her, no doubt she was strong but she didn't expect to be so outnumbered.
"You can run but you can't hide."
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Dark Link
High Status
I will grow stronger, no matter what it takes.
Posts: 324
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 12:45:57 GMT -5
Post by Dark Link on Aug 5, 2007 12:45:57 GMT -5
"So you say..."
Dark doubted the voice was meant for him, but he couldn't help himself. Pulling out a small black ocarina, he played an eerie tune in the darkness. A swirling portal of blood red appeared in the middle of the dark hallway, illuminating his face as well as Embers.
Dark stepped forward, intending to use the portal to escape. Then he paused, looking back at Ember.
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Ember
High Status
Would you carry me from Hell to Home Tonight?
Posts: 90
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 12:53:10 GMT -5
Post by Ember on Aug 5, 2007 12:53:10 GMT -5
Ember met Dark's eyes, her emerald gaze was weary before she looked away from him and down at her own blood on the floor, finally she went limp as she passed out.
Giomanach entered and despite his prize being only a few feet away he cast a cold look at Dark then at the still Ember. If this shadow had even thought to kill the prize he had chased for three years he would make him pay. He spat at Dark's feet and clicked his fingers for his Hunters to approach Ember, all that was left to do now was to take her back to Demartes, the prince would no doubt generously reward him for his efforts in the capture of a Dreamscaper that had illuded their grasp for three years, another Dreamscaper to be executed until the curse re-awoke in another.
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Dark Link
High Status
I will grow stronger, no matter what it takes.
Posts: 324
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Hunted
Aug 5, 2007 12:56:29 GMT -5
Post by Dark Link on Aug 5, 2007 12:56:29 GMT -5
Dark rolled his eyes with a look of disgust and frustration. Reaching down, he snatched Ember up and tossed her over his shoulder. Flashing one last grin at the hunters, he carried her through the portal.
"Another day, fool."
The portal vanished behind him.
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