Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Seeing his target make a break for the door, Eliza's devilish assassin suddenly breaks into a flurry of blindingly fast parries and strikes against her guards. Within what seems to be a matter of seconds one guard has had his throat slashed, one has been disemboweled, while the others either run for their lives, or lie bleeding out on the floor of Eliza's throne room from their severed limbs.

Up till this point the assassin has seemed to work in a complete and eerie silence, which is replaced by the screams and groans of the dying guards. The assassin reaches behind his head and tosses a dagger at his fleeing target just as her hand reaches for the door.

Eliza doesn't even realize what has happened as she feels a searing pain in her hand the same time as she hears the soft thunk in the door. Her warm blood as it runs down her arm from where her hand is now impaled to the door. The assassin still as emotionless as ever begins to slowly walk her way as she struggles to free herself.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza shrieks in agony as the dagger tears right through her flesh, pulling her to a sudden halt at the opening of the door. Nerves screaming in pain, muscles torn, and bones shattered, Eliza stared in horror as the blood poured from her fair skinned hand. The pain was worse than anything the duchess felt in her short life. It felt almost surreal, as if a feeling of warm sharpness mingled with her intense pain. She bit down on her lip and squeezed her eyes shut as hot tears involuntarily brimmed in her eyes and trickled down her pale cheeks. Eliza willed the pain away, and even though wills can only go so far, indeed not very far at all, the duchess managed to suck it up enough to try to free herself.

Sparing a fearful glance back at the gruesome scene behind her, Eliza put her own dagger in the sash at her waist and gripped the hilt of the assassin's dagger. She tugged at it to test how deep it was. Then Eliza braced herself with her foot against the wall and pushed off as hard as she could to tear the dagger free from her hand if she could, no doubt screaming in terrible pain with either success or failure.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The pain shoots through Eliza's hand as she tightly grips the dagger with her free hand. It's almost too much to bear as she grits her teeth and pulls with all the might she can muster. Her scream of agony as the dagger wrenches free can probably be heard throughout the city. Eliza's vision goes blurry for a moment before she wills herself away from fainting. Though her efforts seem to be in vain as the murderous devil is already upon her as she struggles to her feet.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza's scream was long, agonizing, and ear shattering, disturbing the pleasant dreams of everyone in the city. She staggered, falling backward from the momentum of her pull, the duchess writhing and clutching her crucified palm to her belly, bloodying the deep green fabric of her dress. Eliza's world was totally full of pain, pain, and more pain as the world swirled around her head.

Somehow, she cast off the urge to faint. Propelled by her instinct to survive, Eliza struggled to her feet, clutching her injured hand, still keeping a grip on the assassin's dagger. Cheeks smeared with tears, skin and dress covered in her blood, Eliza suddenly pounced toward the assassin, lunging with a scream of rage to stab him in the gut with his own dagger.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza's sudden spring seems to catch the assassin off guard as the blade is buried within his gut. He stops in his tracks as he inclines his head to look at the knife stuck in his abdomen. His till now emotionless face breaks into a sudden hideous grin as he pulls the dagger out and slips it back into it's sheath. Leaning in closely he speaks, his soft voice almost a whisper.

"Where is your distinguished guest, Duchess? I was expecting to find her here with you."

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The world was still a bit hazy around Eliza as she charged forward and stabbed her assailant. It was as if everything moved in slow motion, lunging forward and watching the dagger sink into the warrior's abdomen, her body slamming into him. Eliza didn't have time to react, to smile in her success. She expected the man to react somehow. Stumble or grunt, maybe even scream from the pain just like she had when the same dagger tore through her hand. That wound was still throbbing uncontrollably in her hand. He did nothing of the sort, just stood there stoically.

As Eliza slowly looked up at the assassin, she stared in horror at his hideous grin. Stabbed in the gut, and he wasn't even hurt. He was just standing there, smiling. Mocking her! Eliza staggered backwards, clutching her impaled hand to her chest. It bled profusely, dripping into her soft bust. Her hand stung like the fires of hell itself, and it was all she could do to stop herself from groaning in front of her attacker. The duchess had to bite down on her lip hard just to accomplish that little feat. To her indignation, a small muffled sound still managed to escape from her pursed lips. The man's sinister grin helped restore some of her confidence though. She looked like a wreck, stained with blood on her arms and chest and her face smeared with the salty water of her involuntary tears. She did her best to at least stop the tears from flowing, but she couldn't even really do that. Eliza still clutched at her hand but she straightened up indignantly. She replied to the assassin with her absolute worst stare. Her kiwi eyes filled with hatred and bore into his eyes icily. When she finally managed to respond, the gasp of pain she was holding within her mouth burst out first. "Ermgh... you... you're mocking me demon?"

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The hideous grin on the man's face widens as he continues to stare coldly at her. His cold black eyes suddenly coming to life as though some horrid monster is barely kept in check behind the assassins emotionless facade. His beastly eyes seem unable to focus on anything other than the bloody sight of Eliza's hand as she clutches it to herself. He takes a step forward as he whispers softly to himself, his strangely elongated canines sending a chill of fear into Eliza's heart.

"Forgive me Haquim, but my need is great."

He continues to walk towards Eliza, the hideous fang-filled smile still mocking her even as he spoke.

"Demon, no. Mock you, perhaps. It is hard to not feel anything but mocking pity for the get of Seth. Now tell me where the Marchesa De Valletta has hidden herself. I saw her carriage, I know she is here."

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza stepped back as the assassin approached her. She clutched her bleeding hand closer to her breast and flinched at the sight of his elongating fangs, kiwi eyes widening in fear. The duchess's mind raced back to some of the stranger stories she heard from the bards at the Norman court as a little girl. When she finally found the story she was looking for, Eliza froze, a shiver shuddering her to the core. Impossible... Eliza thought to herself. However, the protruding fangs, raven transformation, and supernatural invulnerability seemed to suggest otherwise. Vampire.

As much as Eliza feared those fangs and their threat to her own safety, the assassin's next words brought another emotion out of her, revulsion. The duchess pushed down her fear and her pain as much as she could to conjure up that hateful stare again, her kiwi eyes piercing the assassin's onyx orbs fiercely. Eliza didn't know anything about the Marchesa's whereabouts. She had a strong suspicion that the Marchesa and her carriage was all a ruse to allow this assassin to sneak past her guards and attack her. If that wasn't true, she thought she might be able to use it to her advantage.

"If you think I'm going to help you just like that after you've stabbed me through my hand and insulted me, you're sorely mistaken Saracen," Eliza hissed venomously, emphasizing the last word while straightening up to glare icily.

"You are most despicably lacking in manners and judging by your disgusting smell, I highly doubt she'll want to speak with you of her own accord. It is only common decency after all to protect the hospitality of one's guests..."

The duchess conjured up all of her willpower to curl her lips into a malicious smirk. "Know this assassin. If you kill me or continue to harm me, you will most certainly never find her."

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

His lips curled into a malicious smile as Eliza shuddered at the sight of his fangs, though his eyes revealed a strange hint of revulsion as he continued to step towards her. He continued to stalk her though something was odd about his movements as though the efficient assassin who had killed her guards was now under the partial control of some barely checked beast.

"I care little if you help me in finding my mark, the lengthened hunt will only make the final kill all the sweeter. Unfortunately Duchess you are now of little use to me and have stirred the beast within beyond my control."

Suddenly the assassin leaps the few feet of space between them, his hideous fangs clearly visible as his mouth opens to attack.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

As the assassin replied, Eliza sensed she was done for. No guards or Marchesa in sight, she was totally alone. Helplessness set in. She couldn't have really fought back anyway, but her injury put that right out.

Despite her icy exterior, Eliza felt small and powerless. She wished it would all go away, like a nasty pain filled dream that she would forget just as soon as someone had the decency to wake her up from her nightmare. That she would wake up in the comfort of her bed without any nasty assassins or gaping holes in her hand.

At the last instant, her kiwi eyes lost their icy hatred and were left with quivering fear. Instinctively backing away, all she could do was humph poutily as her attacker descended.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza's eyes grew wide with fear as she could do naught but watch helplessly as her death descend in the assassins fangs. He struck her with the full force of his body and pinned her to the ground, quickly piercing her soft throat with his fangs. She had no time to even ponder the pain of her hard landing or the sharp pain of his fangs. The ecstasy of the kiss replacing all of her pain with such a wondrous feeling of contentment she felt she must be in heaven.

Eliza could hear a soft moan escape from her own lips as the odious assassin fed from her very life's blood. Her mind swirled in this state of bliss for what seemed an eternity the state continuing even as she felt herself dying. Her eyes flickered for a moment and she saw the assassins shadow suddenly spring up as though it were alive of it's own accord. The shadowy blob twisted like some horrifying monster of her nightmares though she could do nothing but watch as it grabbed the vampire and wrenched him free by the arms

The incredible pain from her injuries and blood loss surged back into Eliza's body as soon as the fangs were torn from her throat. Though she could do little but suffer as the shadow holding her murderer slowly melted away to reveal a beautiful young woman of olive skin and black hair dressed in a soft silk dress of black. She took a step forward while tendrils of shadow held the assassin before her. Taking his own scimitar from it's sheathe he was soon beheaded and fell into dust before Eliza's eyes. A strong gust of wind blew through the room dispersing the remains of Eliza's murderer and extinguishing the candles she had earlier lit

The young woman drifted over to where Eliza lay dying on the cold stone floor of her throne room. She knelt softly and looked down upon Eliza with a look that exuded both pity and complete control. Her sultry voice drifted to Eliza's ears as she whispered.

"My dear you have lost everything you so dearly love: your control of your own fate, your ambition, your power over every situation. I have taken these things from you because I must know if you truly deserve to have them. I can return all these things you covet and so much more if you but accept the offer of a continued life as my childe. Speak quickly now, your time is short."

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza slammed to the ground, pinned under the leaden force of her dark skinned attacker. Before she even knew what was happening, the Saracen bit into her neck. Eliza arched her back from the assault, a breathless gasp of pleasure fluttering out of her quivering lips. Her gasp was long and sharp, filled with a mixture of surprise and ecstasy. Eliza's snowy blonde hair pooled around her slender form, and her kiwi eyes stared up at the ceiling in a stupor, her lips still parted in surprise. At least bodily, there was nothing she could do but submit to the assassin's lascivious attack.

Within the depths of her mind was where the real war raged. As the Saracen vampire gorged on her carmine wine, Eliza's free will was engaged in a ferocious battle with her ever encroaching flame of lust. Throughout her whole life, Eliza's free will had always had the high ground like an elegant knight that easily cast aside weaker opponents. This time though, she was taken by surprise. Her body weakened and her mind fleeting, she'd ceded the hill to lecherous fires within her depths. The burning hot pleasure was all she could think about as her life was guzzled from her body. She knew she was dying, but she never guessed dying would taste like sweet nectar in a golden chalice. Wait, what am I thinking? Eliza thought to herself in horror. She couldn't break free from the attack, but she could at least have the dignity of dying against her will. Eliza's free will charged up the hill with the battle cry of a frenzied warrior. It took her cackling lust by surprise and pummeled it in the back. Free will wrestled down the flames of lust. It would win the battle just like it had done her whole life.

Unless she lost her concentration. It was at that very moment that Eliza was just about to wrest control of her mind from the fire of her lust that the nightmarish shadow decided to form before her eyes. Eliza was so startled by what she saw that her free will slipped and fell off the battlefield in her mind. As it fell, Eliza too fell into a crimson abyss of pleasure and lust. She moaned helplessly and twitched in the vice of the assassin's fangs. Eliza only barely registered the quick fluid movements of that shadowy creature. She knew it was there, but it was like looking at the events unfolding through a grimy film of lust covering her deep kiwi eyes.

Then suddenly the victorious fires of lust were ripped right out of her body along with the fangs that fled through those severed holes in her neck. Eliza would have laid on the ground vacuously if it wasn't for the searing pain that came rushing into her wounds like a wave of red hot lava. Eliza gasped again, but this time it was from the horrible pain. It wasn't just in her neck or her impaled hand but her whole body. The duchess arched and shuddered on the ground until she managed to still her movements. She clutched at her neck with her wounded hand and tried to stifle her wounds as if she had to hold her life inside her body so it wouldn't flutter away in the chaos around her.

As Eliza lay on the cold stone floor, clutching at her neck, she watched in awe as the shadows melded into the form of a beautiful olive skinned woman. Eliza's eyes locked onto her faintly. She uttered a soft sound of twisted contentment as she watched the majestic woman behead her hated attacker, with his own scimitar no less! She looked amazing, exactly the kind of woman Eliza wanted to be. She was strong, beautiful, and dominant, everything that Eliza thought she was before this moment.

Eliza's mind was racing with too many thoughts to comprehend at once. Her thoughts were filled with hate for the assassin, glee at his demise, awe at the woman in front of her, but most of all desperate hope that she could somehow survive. Horribly aware of the precarious nature of her situation and despite her feeble attempts to capture her fleeting life within her neck, she could feel it slipping away. It was out of her control... Eliza watched the raven haired woman kneel down before her and whisper her sweet words. Her kiwi eyes were about the only place in her body with any life left. As she held the woman's gaze determinedly, Eliza's uninjured hand shakily slid along the cool stone floor. She took the vampire's olive skinned hand in her pale one and held it as firmly as she could but ended up being pretty soft. Clutching her neck with one hand and the woman's hand with her other, Eliza managed a weak but determined nod. She kept her gaze steady on the woman's eyes, afraid that if she looked away, her life might slip through her fingers before her savior could rescue her.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Spoiler

Cool I learned a new word, carmine. Very nicely done as well.

The woman's smile is at once both beautiful and frightening as she reaches down to pluck Eliza's silver dagger from the sash at her waist. It hovers before Eliza's eyes just as she feels the very last bit of her life leaving her body. With her very last dying breath she watches as the woman takes the dagger and cuts her own palm. A single drop of blood slides slowly down her finger into Eliza's mouth as the world fades to black.

---------------------------------

Eliza's eyes flutter open her mind completely consumed by one thing, blood. Her mind is completely filled with the alien thought that she must feed on blood and she must do it now. Her movements are barely her own as her hands move forward to touch against smooth stone on all sides. It's almost as if she's inside of a marble coffin.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Spoiler

I loved your post too. I just wanted to write a really cool reply in thanks.

Eliza's vibrant green eyes sprang open, feeling suddenly rocked by a huge wave of hunger. Her body arched and convulsed, every nerve in her slender frame shooting distress signals through her veins, crying out for nourishment. Somehow she knew that the only vitamin that could sate her uncontrollable desire was blood, and her desire was oh so strong. No thoughts of propriety or decorum in mind, Eliza didn't care what it was she had to drink. She would have guzzled a cup of hemlock if that's what her body had asked for.

The former duchess groaned longingly. Feeling the cool stone around her, Eliza's mind barely registered that she should be uncomfortable. The beast within her just viewed it as an obstacle to the one thing she needed, food. Kiwi eyes glazed over from her hunger, Eliza went into a frenzy. She pushed and kicked at the stone, trying to dislodge it. If that didn't work, her eyes would dart around ravenously looking for an opening to slide out of. She had to get out. There wasn't any question about that. Eliza's fangs descended, and she let out a ferocious hiss. She wanted blood, and she wanted it now.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The marble shatters against Eliza's frenzied blows, freeing her from entombment in it's confines. Her mind so filled with hunger she doesn't even comprehend the undead strength her frame now holds. She looks around the pitch black room for a source of nourishment her keen senses waiting for any sign of nourishment. The sound of soft footsteps echoing on stone floats to her from behind a solid wooden door in front of her. They stop before the door and she can hear a key being inserted and turned.

Moving quickly and silently to hide in wait behind the doorway, the very shadows seeming to coil around her protectively. The door opens and a thin ray of light shines through onto the broken remnants of the tomb. One of Eliza's former servants steps through to investigate, the waifish figure stands no more than a foot away from Eliza's hiding place.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Shattering the marble tomb around her, Eliza springs outward and lands in a crouch, kiwi eyes darting about the darkened room for any signs of prey. She slowly gets to her feet, still gazing about the room when she hears the footsteps approaching the door. Eliza's head jolts to the side. She lets out a soft, quiet hiss, parting her lips in anticipation. As if guided by an ancient hunter within her, Eliza silently stalks to the door, her hunger and desire building as she stands in wait.

Shadows swirling about her protectively, Eliza strikes as soon as she sees the servant come beyond the doorway. She reaches out to grab the servant, pulling them back into the darkness an embrace and whipping them around onto their back, slamming their shoulders into the ground as she mounts their body sinking her fangs into that delicate flesh. As soon as her fangs punctured skin and tasted blood, Eliza groaned longingly, sucking it eagerly as if she'd been starved for a week.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The servant lets out a small scream as she is yanked back into the darkness, dropping her lantern to the floor with a clank. She can barely struggle as she is held down by the sheer strength in Eliza's arms. A soft moan and rapid breathing is all that can be heard as her throat is pierced by Eliza's fangs

Eliza is filled with a wonderful feeling as she hungrily drinks the warm, coppery blood from her first victim. The intense feeling is beyond anything she has ever felt in her life she thinks as she can feel the beast recede. After what seems like many minutes Eliza's mind fully returns to her and she pulls her mouth away from the soon to be dead servant girl, dropping her to the cold floor she looks around herself.

The shadows within the crypt seem to recede with the beast allowing Eliza to examine her surroundings. She recalls the crypt almost immediately as it is her own families. Getting to her feet she watches as the beautiful olive skinned woman steps forth from the shadows with a smile on her face.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza's kiwi eyes fluttered upward as she gorged on the poor girl's life essence, relishing the exotic taste. Compared to the terrible hunger she felt just seconds before, this felt so satisfying. She wanted every last drop just as if she was slurping up warm hot fudge from a delicious dessert. The former duchess got what she want.

After draining the last of the poor girl's blood, Eliza sat atop the girl's dead body for a moment, gazing down at her. Unlike what one might expect from someone who had just gorged on another's blood for the first time, Eliza showed little if any remorse or concern. Instead, her kiwi gaze was curious. Eliza brushed the dead girl's hair from her cheek and smiled serenely. "I'm sorry girl, but I was hungry," she said matter of factly.

With a soft shrug, wiping the remaining blood from her lips, the newly awakened vampire slowly got to her feet. She looked about the surroundings as they came into focus for the first time, recognition dawning on her face. She turned to her olive skinned savior and gestured to the marble tombs. "We are in my family's mausoleum." She said as if stating the obvious, but despite her tone, Eliza's face was full of wonder, hoping her companion might explain this new development to her.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

"Of course you are my childe. It seemed a far better place to inter you than the dirt of a common grave. I always found that tradition to be a bit beneath the members of our clan."

The woman says as she reaches down and carefully picks up the torch from where it was dropped. She holds it up so that Eliza can clearly see the flame. As Eliza's eyes watch she feels herself overcome with an uncontrollable fear and involuntarily steps back from the fire. The woman carefully places it into a sconce and steps back from it with a smile before offering her hand to Eliza and leads her from the tomb.

"Your first lesson as one of the Lasombra, fire is not your friend. In fact it is one of the few things we Cainite's fear, the other being the light of the sun. Your second lesson is that I, Adria, am your sire and master. I will teach you and protect you until you are ready to be released. Now come your brother awaits us and we must find a more suitable outfit for you, as your current dress is all but ruined."

Eliza can't help but look down at her blood soaked dress and also notices that her hand has healed as if by magic as she is lead up the stairs and to her chambers.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza couldn't help but agree. If she had to die, she'd at least do it in style. A strange smile slowly curled to her lips as she imagined what her old father, the crusade hero would think of her supposed end. Quite stylish indeed.

Thoughts suddenly interrupted, Eliza hissed sharply and stumbled back two steps, kiwi eyes glaring fearfully at the fire. It was almost as if there was something supernatural in it, like the flames were jumping out trying to grab her. When Adria beckoned for her to follow, Eliza's eyes dart back and forth between her new sire and the torch. Not interested in getting grabbed by weird flames, Eliza decides to take the long way, walking quickly in a wide arc toward Adria, constantly glancing at the offending flames until she took her master's hand.

Now that she was with her sire, Eliza felt safer, safe enough to wonder. Before they went up the stairs, Eliza stopped and glanced up at Adria.

"We didn't get to properly meet I think. I'm Eliza. Why aren't you afraid of the flames Adria? I want to be unafraid like you."

As she asked, Eliza glanced down at her free hand, holding it up to her face and admiring its flawlessness. It had been so badly mutilated, but now it looked perfect, felt perfect. It was a strange new world Eliza was in with many unanswered questions, but she felt oddly confident. It was a new environment with different powers, stronger power, but she knew she would learn them with Adria's help. She would be the strongest, if she had anything to say about it.