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[Ivae Z'ress]

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The sound of galloping hooves reached Ivae’s ear, but she was numb to it. The pain was too much, and in response, her body shut all emotional outlets. She lay on the roof of her home, the side of her face pressed into the grass of her precious garden. In all times before, this place had brought her peace, but now… now she loathed it. She knew with each pounding that echoed farther away, her daughter was being taken from her. Taken, by her own husband. Nazralte was doing what he thought best, and somewhere in Ivae’s heart, she knew it was best as well, but no mother can be separated from her week old baby lightly.

Closing her eyes, visions of her precious Mirima danced until she cried out, screaming in frustration, she shook her head violently, as if to rid her of the visions. Nazralte had sworn to stay by her side, knowing full well Darrien controlled her at his whim and could have her kill her own husband at any time, but Ivae would not allow it. If her daughter was safe, so would her husband be. She would end her life if she could not break Darrien’s control, but she would not live in fear of hurting those she loved.

Standing, she walked to the edge of the roof, jumping down to the balcony on the floor below that connected to her and Naz’s bedroom. Landing lightly, she walked straight to the chest that held her clothes. She would not need much. Grabbing her armor and the black dress Darrien had forced her to wear the night she was tortured, she shoved them in her knapsack and called for her mount, Brenna. The horse walked to her slowly, and Ivae roughly mounted her, murmuring a recall spell to a place she knew she could be safe.

As she appeared before the place she considered her second home, what once had looked inviting now looked foreboding and empty. She knew the other occupant was not home, and she could do as she pleased for now. Tying Brenna in the stables, she made her way to the third floor, throwing her few possessions in the armoire next to the bed. Looking around, she roughly donned her armor, grabbed her kryss, and headed out.

She was exhausted when she returned home, and had just settled into a bath, washed her hair, and was trying to forget the world when he called her. His voice echoed in his mind, and she was given a vision of him, trapped and alone, half naked, surrounded by people Ivae knew and loved. People Ivae hated in this moment for hurting her master. Quickly, she stood from the bath, and slipped on the black dress she knew he favored, her eyes no longer the vivid emerald they once were, but a deep crimson. Her hair still wet and clinging to her neck, her dress holding to the curves of her bust and hips where she had neglected to dry herself, she recalled to the Garden from where she was standing, knowing Brenna would follow.

Without emotion, she led Brenna to a stall, quickly tying her before Ivae ran to the magic tile that would carry her to her master. Growling, she stepped on another tile, looking until she found where they held him. Trying the door, she heard Scribble faintly announce it was locked and she could not enter. Black lightening flashing through her crimson eyes, she aimed an energy bolt at the lock, smashing it to pieces with the spell. Shoving the door open, she entered the room, and suddenly, all eyes were on her. Her eyes, however, saw only Darrien. Tied and alone, his eyes met hers, and he smiled.

“Ivae, love, come to me”

Nodding, she tried to move toward him, but she was suddenly aware of strong hands holding her shoulders. Growling, she fought her captor, and vaguely heard a voice she once knew as her husband’s in her ear.

“Ivae! Fight for Mirima, oki?”

Another voice, Cat’s, although to her, it was simply another monster hurting her master. The daemons in her head fought the harder they held her, and Darrien commanded they all let her go, or he would kill her. Softly, Darrien began whispering in a demonic tongue, and Ivae answered, babbling on in a language her conscious mind had never known. Wrenching her body from those who held her, she began to float above them, until she hovered about five feet in the air, looking down on her husband and Cat, who were begging her to listen.

Hissing as Darrien commanded her, she summoned a fireball, the object of her wrath the man she had sworn to love for all eternity. Realizing that Ivae was powerless, a few in the room backed a few steps and allowed Ivae to move to Darrien’s side. Cutting the rope, her eyes flashed green a moment as she fought the daemons within her mind. Darrien was weakening, and in this, giving Ivae the only chance she had to break free.

A strangled cry broke from her lips as she cut the ropes holding him, and stepped toe to toe with the man who held her life. His eyes flashed something close to confusion as she opened her mouth and spoke.

“No.. more… Darrien…”

“No!! I did not command you to speak, you cannot speak!!”

Shaking her head hard, she uttered a choked sob and spoke again..

“You.. you loved her…”

His eyes flashed purple, cracking with energy as he listened for the moment.

“E..Eliza..beth”

“You will not speak that name!! You know nothing of her or what was.”

Ivae cried out, grabbing her head as she fought herself, speaking again after a long moment.

“Love… you.. loved… remember… Darrien…”

Growling, he sunk to the floor, holding his head. As Ivae knelt before him, he hissed at her, spouting promises of death. Ivae focused solely on him, ignoring all others in the room, including the one called Bailos, whom had come to help Darrien. A steady and unrelenting reminder of Darrien’s lost love slowly broke him down. He was shaking with rage as him and Ivae stood again. Her voice was soft, but it trembled slightly as she spoke.

“You will die… long before I do.. and already have…”

With these words, she plunged her kryss into his stomach, slowly following his body to the floor as he died. Shaking and spent, she fell backwards to the floor, sobbing. Strong arms gathered her, and she was suddenly aware of her husband kissing her softly, promising everything would be ok. Cat was there too, and Poet, dear Poet.. and Scribble.. all the people Ivae knew and loved. Trembling still, she watched Bailos as he floated over Darrien’s body. He informed her Darrien had passed beyond the shroud, and that if she knew what was good for her, she would bury the body quickly.

Nodding mutely, she buried her face in Naz’s neck, and he held her until she quieted. Murmuring he would fetch Mirima, Ivae went upstairs. As she sat down, she realized she was still in the dress Darrien had given her, which now bore her and his blood. Tati quickly came to her rescue, loaning her a shirt and kilt which Ivae promptly donned. As she returned to the upper level, Beowulf sat down on a stool, having just arrived. Their eyes met, and suddenly the memory blocks instilled in both of them crumbled.

The torturing at the Black Mass came rushing back into Ivae’s mind. She could remember Isk and Sav sitting there, just watching. Beowulf, sweet Beo, in the back row, screaming at Darrien and trying to fight the slaves until Darrien had told him to leave, and Beo, powerless to resist, had done so. He had been waiting for her when they had dumped her carved and beaten body in the Lyceum where she had been taken from. Then, neither of them had known what had happened.

Beo looked broken as he growled it was his fault, and no matter what Ivae did to try and dissuade him, he refused to listen. Stomping from the room, he returned a while later, looking dead at Ivae.

“He says Thank you”

Ivae knew what the words meant, and she suddered, glad when Naz returned with her child. She had taken Beo below when Naz had returned with Miri, and pleaded with him not to blame himself while she held her child close.

“Darrien held you as he did me, there was nothing you could do!”

“You and Miri could have died Ivae!! I did nothing.”

The fight went on, and Beo would not relent. Finally, murmuring she could visit him tomorrow if she saw fit, he left her and she returned upstairs. Naz and Ivae did not linger long, for she was fatigued and needed her rest, and still had much to do before it could be accomplished. As she headed down to the stable, she sent Naz home to put Miri to bed, promising to meet him soon. She kissed him lightly, and then headed back upstairs, this time, Brenna with her. She led her mount to the room where Darrien had died, and shuddered as she looked apon his corpse. The flesh was already fading away, and she knew that soon nothing but his skeleton would be left.

She gathered the body in her arms, climbing atop Brenna and recalled to the town of Umbra, its’ dark roads and burning torches making shadows dance on the roadside as she traveled. Finally, she reached the place she sought, the Daemon Temple. Darrien had taken her here once, and she knew he would appreciate the location. Slowly, she carried the corpse to the steps of the temple, and as she laid them down, they melted into smooth bone.

Sighing, Ivae used her magic to aide her in digging the grave. As she laid the body into the ground, Beo’s words echoed through her mind. “Thank you…” Darrien would be back, she knew it. You cannot kill one who longs for death and assume they will stay away for long. Biting her lip, she pulled the pinky finger bone from the right hand of the corpse, and then quickly covered the body with dirt. Sending Brenna to the outside, she quietly snuck back into the Garden, into the room, scooping a small vial full of Darrien’s blood from the floor. She dropped the bone inside the blood and sealed it firmly with wax, finally recalling home. Exhausted, she fell into bed, allowing herself to be held in her husband’s strong arms. Tomorrow, she would put the vial somewhere safe, and when he came for her again, she would be ready.
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