Genesis:Lineage
Part II: Atonement
Prologue:
Mirage awoke with a jerk. The nightmare she had seemed so gruesome, yet odd. None of it made sence yet it made perfect sence all at the same time. She woke in a pool of sweat and heard a shy chuckle of laughter imminating from the other room. It was a laughter she hadn't heard in a long time. That of a child enjoying the sheer joy of life. It came of no suprise to her that the laugh, would be that of her younger sister. She watched the girl from the door of her room. The young preistess Magdellian and her little sister were playing with a simulated butterfly, created of water and air. She giggle as the butterfly would change shape again and again. She chuckled at the fun of having created this of her own ability. The head priestess came up behind Mirage. The training has begun. Her strong suit seems to be water."
"Hmn..." Mirage sighs contently looking out upon her sister.
"How ever, your training shall be some what harder...." The head priestess says moving past her. Mirage looks at her in surprise.
Interlude:
"You must maintain controll of the flame. With size decreased and strength immense."
Mirage struggles to control the blaze before her, letting the flame grow smaller and its heat stronger. A drop of sweat falls from her brow as she struggles to maintain its potency.
"Concentrate...you must focus..." Head preistess called out to her.
Mirage's sister come toloping in.
"Amazing!" She cries.
With that Mirage losses focus and the flames disappears in a flash.
"I-I'm sorry...I was disstracted." Mirage says.
"Never the less...Distractions can happen in real life.You must learn to maintain focus no matter. We'll begin again in the morning."
"I...urnnn..." Mirage growls.
Her little sister looks up at her.
"Did I do some thing wrong?" She asks.
"Nae, tis my me own fault..." Mirage says picking her up.
"Les' go get some thin' tae eat." Mirage continues.
"Yaaay!" Moiyra shouts.
"Ye c'n tell me what ye learned tae day..."
"Alright!"
Magdellian Smiles at the two and gos to follow them when some thing catches her eye. The area where Mirage was training had a strang heat eminating from it. Upon closer examination she found the area were the flame had dwindled to the size of a thimble had been completely incinerated. The heat had blasted through metal and stone alike. It must have happened when she became distracted. Needless to say, a flame of that strength was increedible for a High Preistess let alone a beginer in training. Magdellian quickly ran to inform the Head Preistess of her findings.
Interlude:
The training grew more grueling with every day. Though Mirage had no problem rising to the occasion, she actually enjoyed the challange, she grew with every step more powerful than any at her level. The training grew into its tenth month, and still no sign of the enemy that threaten to return. They had all thought by now that he would be long gone by then. All but The Head preistess and Mirage. For some strange reason they both knew that Lord Gareth was only biding time till his newt attack. Still with seavral years still left to her training Mirage was years ahead of any other before her. With this progress she would be done years sooner than planned. But with all her progression and all her new friends, she still couldn't get past the thought of her sister and mother. She couldn't stop wondering how the were doing, and she knew the only way to truely put things behind her was to see her one last time, if only for a little while. So she had planned to leave that night. Upon packing she came accross the scroll with the invitation to train at the temple. She remembered her last words with Gwen, how harsh she was, how she wasn't there at the time of her mothers death.
"You can't do it can you...You can't face her, not knowing that you left her to deal every thing on her own." Head preistess says.
"I-I shoul' nae have left." Mirage responds.
"I can help you...How would you like to see her....With out even leaving here."
"That tric ye did in me home...The ghost trick...?"
"Astrial projection. yes."
"Is it safe then?"
"There are certain dangers...but we have no need to worry, with our powers, and me to guide you...we should be able to handle this."
She takes her hands a they both kneel on the ground. A thin layer of fog encircles them as a white light washes over them. Mirage finds herself back at home. The place is empty, dust covers over the furniture and the air is stale. A second flash brings her to a place that is clean and bright. Shes in a room where a man and woman stand over a tiny bed looking into the eyes of there new born daughter. They smile at each other looking lovingly into each others eyes. Their life seems so content. The woman picks up the babe and holds her to her breast. Mirage recognises the woman to be her sister, and the man beside her Shamus. Thogh she is wearing cleaner clothen and wears her hair up, and he, now has a beard and longer hair, she knows its them. She sees how happy they are and knows its time to move on, as they have. The room is once more filled with light, and as it fades she finds herself yet agan in at the temple. Fighting back the tears Mirage holds embraces the Head preistess. The head Preistess caresses the back of her head. They are jolted when they hear a noise coming from out side the temple. They both rush to see the cause of disruption. just outside the front door A tall well built man with orange red hair, and dark steel armor is standing his black horse beside him. He wears a mask over the left side of his face covering the whole left section from his forehead to his neck.
"This is the last notice...if you do not join us...I can not be held responsible for my father's actions." He calls to the head preistess.
Nora dion, the second to the head preistess, calls back, "Your petty threats hold no power hear. Tell your Master we are willing to fight to the death."
"Who is that man...is that lord Gareth!?" Mirage asks the Head Preistess.
"No, its his general. Lord Derek."
"He seem tae be nae threat from what I see."
"Yes, but beware, the both have unusual power, the like of which I've never seen."
"They use magic...?"
"I don't believe it is magic, no, some thing else...Some thing which I've never encountered."
The man approaches Nora seemingly unthreatened by her words.
"I will speak with the Head Preistess!" He says stare straight into her eyes.
"Not likely sir I-*" She stopped blank in mid sentance. Her gaze completly locked with his.
"I-I-...." Nora stammered.
"Thats enough!" The head preistess exclaimed.
"Have you no decency! Are you not satisfied with those you have already taken!" She continued
"Those girl joined of their own will."
"Under threat of death...After they saw what you did to the others."
"Are we to quibble...I would not worry of them, but rather your selves, theirs no bringing back the deceased, but spare the others and your self...join us."
"Black hearted beast!!!" She shreik then slaps him accross the face.
"Don't look into his eyes!" Selena the fifth to the prestess shouts.
She quickly averts her eyes. He looks up at her.
"Have it your way then..." He says, then turns around and waves his arm.
With that his father approaches. Wearing Black iron armor. He had long dirty blonde hair tied back in a low pony tail and a patch over his left eye. He stered down upon them as if they were no more than fodder for the animals. There grew a look of disgust in him, but not for the women, rather for his son.
"I tried to spare you...BAH! I'm sick burning you wenches! Time for some thing new and improved." He took what looked to be a cross bow from his arm and aimed it at the Head Preistess. He took a single shot which barely wounded her arm. then got up on his stead.
"Preistess!" Nora shouted.
"In a few days...you'll be throwing yourselves upon our mercy. We'll meet again then."
Nora pulled the arrow from the Head Preistess's arm.
"What did he mean by that!?And what was the pint in shooting you if not to kill!?" Nora asked.
"Let us not worry about that now..." Head Preistess said.
"Yes...we must get our alchemist healer...Magdellian send for Scarlett...Now...tell her its of great importance." Nora called.
"T-thank you...ohh...some thing...strange..." the Head Preistess stammers before she passes out.
"Poison...!" Nora says.
"Is there any thing I c'n do tae help!?" Mirage askes.
"Yes, keep her head elivated."
Mirage takes the Head Preistess's head placing it in her lap. Scarlett enters then kneels along side the Head Preistess. She places a hand to her head.
"She's badly wounded...an' feverish...Looks bad but I c'n handle it." Scarlett says.
She takes the herbs from her medicine bag and begins to crush a powder for treating the fever. Just then Dusk walks in wit a bowl and wash cloth. She moves over to the corner and pours some water from the vase into the bowl, then sit down beside Scarlett. Scarlett takes a handful of water and mixes it in with the powder to make it easy to swallow. Dusk dips the wash cloth into the water, wrings it out then places it on the Head preistess's forehead.
"This should break the fever...when did it set in!?"
"Almost imediatly..." Nora said.
"Impossible...has she been poisoned!?" Scarlett asked.
"Nae! She would be dead by now...." Mirage said.
"...Aye...And she seems tae be recovering now." Dusk included.
"Who did this!?" Scarlett demanded.
"T'was lord Gareth and his son." Nora said.
"Bastards! Those sons of whores!...They did nae take any one did they!?" Scarlett asked.
"No, they nearly had me though...Him and that evil glare." Nora continued.
"Evil Glare!?" Mirage qeeried.
"Aye, tis how he get control o' ye. Both him an his father." Scarlett concluded.
Mirage thought "So thats how he took the others."
The fever broke and wound healed, the Head Preistess was up and about again.
"Is there any thing we c'n do fer ye mu'm." Dusk asked uneasy about the fact She was out of bed so soon.
"Its alright...I'm fine now. We should worry now about the fact he swore to return. He said that he made improvements and would have us begging for mercy, I intend to find out what he meant."
"How will ye go about doing that?"
"I'll pray to the goddesses for help..."
Later in the Temple Shrine, The Head Preistess kneeled before the temple fire and prayed. An hour into the pray she opened her eyes to the flame as a vision appeared. Hatred, malice, mass destruction, and people falling dead. This vision instilled fear in even one as strong as the preistess. It was the temple, her home, all she knew dying, burning to sinders. She woke with a jolt.
"I must stop them from coming!..." She cried and rose to her feet, only to fall to the floor.
Blood began to wellup in her throat and eyes. As the crinsom liquid fell to the floor she felt her insides burn and boil. She cried out in shear pain. Her cries heard accross the temple called the attension of near by preistesses. The three preistesses Nora, Scarlett and dusk came running in. Another cry let out as soon Mirage entered the scene. The Head Preistess was on the floor writhing in agony as Scarlett and nora rushed to her side. The blood spurted every where as she went into convulsions. Nora and Scarlett did their best to hold her down. Scarlett fondled for her pouch, when the convulsions suddenly stopped and the head preistess fell limp. Nora checked for signs of breathing or blood flow. She just shook her head in greif.
"Is she!?" Dusk asked as tears welled upin her eyes, blood splattered about her robe.
"I'm afraid so..."Nora said.
Tears began to fall from dusks eyes. Nora and Scarlett too dumbfounded to beleive, while Mirage grew angry. In a sudden thud, her fist hit the wall.
"DAMN HIM!!! It was that Lord Derek who did this! He said he'd get his revenge! I'LL KILL HIM!!!"
The others just looked at each other.Dusk wiped the tears from her eyes then agreed, "YES! We'll get him for this!!! I'll him meself if I hafta!" Both Nora and Scarlett looked away. They both new what this meant. Dusk had never been so upset before, she always stay shy and quiet, never wished harm on any one no matter how evil. They knew what she meant to her, and they knew what she would do to him. Or more importantly, what he would do to her.
Interlude:
It was a beautiful day, much to beautiful for a ceramony. The Head Preistess's body was wraped in a virginal white sheet her blood soaked through it almost in a metaphorical sense. A light breeze passed with the scent of lilacs in the air around them. The remaining preistesses gathered around her body. As the tears fell the service comensed.
"Today we comitt our dear Dianne O'connel to the fires of the South temple. As her body asends to the Goddesses, let her soul rest in peace." Selena said as the continued the service in the form of a ritual circle. They paid omage and gave thanks for the presence of the gaurdiand of the watch towers of the North, South, East and West. Once all was said and done, Nora handed the torch to Dusk as Dusk lay the torch to the cloth and set fire to the body.
"As hard as this is, we found it only right that her daughter see her off to her next life." Selena continued.
"Daughter!?" Mirage asked in shock.
"Yes...Shortly after her father died she was raped by her stepfather...Scared and alone she was found wandering the streets with no money food or shelter and a swollen belly. It was the head preistess before her who took her in. After dusk was born she journeyed to Dublin and stayed with another family till it came time to leave. Not wanting to take her daughter away from her home she left her there with Scarlett's family till she came of age. Then she sent for her daughter to join her at the temple. Since then they have been inseperable...up till now." Nora said.
"So thats why she di'nae have the accent o'er mother." Mirage said.
"Yes..."
The fire consumed the body as Dusk joined her friends.
"Och Dusk, I'm sorry." Mirage said.
"Its alright...at least they can't get her now. She's in a better place...Mirage?" Dusk asked.
"Yes dear?!" Mirage asked.
"We're goina get 'im right?"
"Trust me...He'll pay fer this..."
Interlude:
Mirage lay sound a sleep in the room she shared with Scarlett. She was awakened by a loud creak, anoise she would usually sleep through but as of late she was feeling extremely paranoid. She looked around to see what was happening. She turne to her window to see Dusk perched upon the ledge.
"Child! what're ye doing! Ye scarred me hafta death." Mirage shouted.
"Shhh!"
"Whad' ye mean Shhh!? What're ye doing!?"
"Ye said We're gonna get him did'n ye!? Well...Tha's what we're doing."
"Child are ye oot o' yer mind...Ye don' even know where they are."
"I saw them head north...We'll follow they're trail...they would nae ev' gotten far."
"Ye sure'n aboot this lass!? It could get us killed."
"Look...ye coming o not...Makes nae difference tae me...I jus' as soon leave with out ye."
Mirage knew she was lying but she wasn't about to call her bluff. She grabbed a few necessities and they headed on there way. The two girls traveled for miles with no hope of finding them. The trail was cold and they began to loose hope.
"There's nae way we c'n find them. tis hopeless." Mirage said rubbing the sleep from her eyes."
"Tha' tears it!!! If'n we're not gonna go tae them...Then We'll make em' come tae us." She Screamed out to the stars, "YE HEAR ME! YE MUTHER FUC'IN SONS O'WHORES!!! COME AN GET US!!! I DARE YE!!!! C'MON!!!"
"Alright alright, calm down we heard you." A voice calls from the shadows.
The young Lord Derek approaches them.
"So, you've come to join our ranks." Derek says.
"Ye son o' a bitch ye killed me muther!!!" Dusk Screams lunging towards him.
In a single gesture he moves out of the way.
"My guess is no...Very well. Either you will join us or join your friend in her fate. I'd say you have untill sun rise at least." Derek chuckles.
"Why!!! Wha'd Ye do tae us!?" Mirage calls.
"My guess is the blood from your Head preistes has touched your skin. Therefore the virus I inserted in her passed on to you. And when you die or one of those infected, you'll infect the others as well. That is why we left Shortly after our first attack, so that you would contact the others and bring them together to fight. That and the fact we had other matters to attend back home. So, your plann to bring others to fight against us...Was part of our plan to destroy all opposition...and it worked so well...If I do say so myself." Derek says.
"Ye Bastard!!!" Mirage Screams lunging toward him!
He steps back Crouching to the ground. As she reaches arms length he extends his sword. She falls back feeling the sting of his blad on her face. The warmth of blood rushes down her cheek. She lets out a growl then rises to her feet again.
"Quite the persitant one aren't you...I enjoy a good sport."
Out of no where Dusk jumps him from behind scratching and hitting him. He knocks her to the ground in one punch. Jumping back up she notices an object in her hand. It was his face plate. He crotches over holding the left side of his face.
"YOU...BITCH!!! I'm going to enjoy having my way with you!!!" He growls making his way over to her.
"FIRE ENCIRCLE!!!" Mirage calls her hands extended toward him.
A ring of fire encircles him. He turns to her, trying to approach he is set back by the fire.
"You'll be the most fun!!! Hmn...I wonder though...How do you think your friends are doing? The plague outght to have reached it peak 'bout now wouldn't you say?" Derek jests.
"No!!!...Dusk...We hafta get back!!! DUSK!!!" Mirage shouts franticly.
She spots Dusk keeled over to the side of Derek. Her eyeys nose and mouth ruddy with blood. She runs to her, picks her up and loads her onto the horse, then climbs up behind her.
"I'll be back fer ye!!!!" Mirage shouts to Derek.
"I count on it!!!" He calls back.
Interlude:
Its a bloody massacre upon Mirages arrival. while some are convulsive and sputing blood everywhere others are screaming and panicing, trying to get away. The virus has increase effectiveness to five times its normal rate. People are droping off dead left and right. The whole temple is a grave.
"Saints preserve!" Mirage shouts.
Realizing its too late she rushes to find Her book of spells. Upon finding it she stumble accross Nora.
"Nora! Wheres Scarlett!!!" Mirage cries.
"D-Dead....We're all Dead-*"
"Och...nae..."
She runs out side to where Dusk is. And get back on the horse. She takes them along side the temple to the shrine. Thre within she lays the still living Dusk upon the floor. Laying beside her she cast a spell, "<Translated from latin> Upon this death we are placed asleep, upon this sleep we reawake, Frozen in ice till time we seek, when our bodies heal we reawake." She leans back arms clinched around the book as a sheild of ice falls over their bodies.
Interlude:
"Ah...Beautiful death...But what of the two I encountered. How I'd love to taste their sweetness. To make them my own." Derek looks out upon the mass destruction admiring his handy work.
"Hmn...seems the temple Shrine is locked...Mayhaps within I'd find some young untouched flower."
He takes his fist and with one swipe rips off the door lock. He enters the room and looks around. He sees the two pillars of ice then walks over to them.
"Such a pitty, now they can't come out and play...I'll fix that!"
He pulls a book off the shelf and searches for a counter spell.
"No." He says throwing the book.
"No." then thoughs that book.
"No."
"Ah...he we are!" He find a spell that will unbind the other spell and induces it.
Holding out a tailisman he resites the spell. The tailisman resonates and the ice surronding the girls breaks. Both girls still unhealed start to wake.
"Wha-Whats going on!?" Mirage scrambles to her feet.
"Why my dear, you don't look at all well...Here let me help."
Not realising its him she takes his hand as he slips a needle into her arm. She Shreiks then draws back.
"WhaT!? You!...Imposible...what year is this!? How!!!?"
"Calm down love...Your just experiencing after shock....oh, but it seems I'm too late for your friend...I'm sorry...It would have been fun with the both of you...Guess I'll Have to settle for one."
"Y-Ye Monster!!!"
"Monster?! Me!? My dear I'm the one who just saved your life."
"Yuir the reson I was at risk tae begin with!!!"
"But now your better...Of course their are some side affects...its natural."
She falls to the floor in agony as she feels the bones within her shift. The pull of flesh from increased growth. Her nails grew long and ears pointed. A tail grew from her backside. She began to growl and hiss. As part of her became animal.
"Ya see...Wild animals like bears, coyotes, and in your case Panthers, seem to have a natural genetic immunity to this virus...Thus, the only way I could save you was to inject metemorphic dna. But don't worry...it'll all be over soon."
Mirage got up and lunged toward him. With a mere gesture he easily dodged her. But her tarrget was not him. She pulled an Item from the shelf and resited an incantation she memorised. <Latin> "Oh goddess of time! Bring forth the light and open the gate of time to me! Send me to a place Were I should be safe from those who threaten me! Onward to the road of light."
With that a portal opened before her. Still weak, yet with out hesitation she through herself into the portal. Still angered and vengful Lord Derek followed shortly after. With a flash of light the portal closed behind them and all was silent. A shadow crept out behind the pillar in the shrine.
"I swear! if it takes me an eternity...I will find you Mirage! And kill you for having abandoned me!"
The womans voice cackles as her eyes burn a bright Amber.
End Interlude:
Epilogue:
"C'mon then...Lets go home." That being said the girls head for the underground parking lot accross the street. LiL'BraT stops suddenly when a burst of light appears before her.
"What the FUCK!!!!?"
End Epilogue: