Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

A Perfect Revenge ((Chocolate x Arc))

ChocolateStrawberry

ChocolateStrawberry

Supernova
Joined
Jan 26, 2010
The heavenly temple of Ahjelay was a massive structure of marble and gold, resting above the world in that here-but-not-here pocket that the gods resided. Sometimes, new temples appeared as new gods were worshiped and old ones vanished. She found the ebb and flow of mortal loyalty exciting. The fact that if she didn't keep her followers happy, she could be gone was a good motivator.

Today, however, she was not in the mood to see how the mortals were praising the gods. Today, Ahjelay was angry and her whole domain trembled with her rage. She stalked the gilded halls, heading to the connected hallway between her temple and her brother's. It was he that she was angry at.

She stormed into her brother's room, slamming the doors open. "When were you planning on telling me," she snapped, scaring him. Her brother, Jorter, the god of charity, jumped and looked up. At his side were his faithful generals. That was what pissed her off. There was a war going on, and he had kept it from her.

"What's wrong," he asked.

"How long until you were planning on telling me about the insult handed to us from that upstart Kelseru? He dared to allow his followers to desicrate your temples!"

"I'm dealing with it," Jorter said. "Nothing for you to worry about."

"I should be helping!"

Jorter laughed. "Anjelay, you're only a minor goddess of fate and wealth. What could you possibly do in a war. Now, go and play with your followers and leave this to the men."

Anjelay growled and stormed out. She knew it would do no good to argue with her brother. He believed his word was law. Instead, she called on her priestesses. "Find out if there is any follower that Kelseru places above all others," she said. "Bring that person to me." She might not be able to win this war, but she could put a crimp in Kelseru's plans and give her brother the upper hand.
 
There was a favored of Kalseru. One known as Kalseru's Claw upon the mortal realm. Or as those not within the cult, Nikolia Vasburg. He frequented a place known as The Free Man, he lead the services in the chamber hidden beneath its basement. A place where it was said taht Kalseru himself ascended to godhood and shed his mortal shell.

And tonight, he was standing outside the Free Man. It was dark out, a little after the midnight hour. A steady drizzle had been going on for a full two days, leaving the city dark and wet, with nary a dry spot in sight.

Nikolia moved through the streets. A naked blade in his hand, his clothing soaked through and a chill permeating his body. He was hunched over, stalking someone that moved ahead of him, from shadows to alleyways, doubling back, and trying his damnedest to evade his pursuer. He could hear him up ahead, frantic movements, a few trips and slides. A smile came across Nikolia's face, just like a stalking cat almost done playing with his food. Left turn around the next building, about 20 feet ahead. The moron slipped up and went downa blind alley. He was dead.
 
Anjelay smiled as the report was brought to her. Her priestesses had found the one closest to Keseru's dark heart. While she wouldn't turn the tide of the war by much, she was sure that having his special one fight for her brother would ruin the moral of his troops.

"Find me this Nikolia," she ordered. "Bring him to me. I want him in chains and at my feet before dawn." She left her minons as she went to prepare her new guest's chamber. She would break him, turn him and have him panting at her feet in no time. She was just a minor goddess, but she was not idle. She was also loyal to her brother and would do anything to help him win this war.

On one wall of the room, she placed the symbol of Kelseru and on the other, she placed her symbol (the golden crown). "Let's see how you fare against me," she murmured before spitting on the dragon claw of Kelseru.
 
Nikolia felt his grip tighten on the blade's hilt. He held it in his left hand, the two foot blade slick with the rain water. But soon, it'd taste blood. Nikolia rounded the corner, his empty fist clenched tight. He could feel Kalseru's power coursing through him, and what a sight he must have been. His eyes glowed red with the excess energies bleeding out, his fist was a small sun, bright light shedding out into the darkness of the alleyway, lighting up his prey as though it were midday.

There she was. A high priestess of the God of Charity. Her robes torned, muddied, and wet from her hasty flight through the night's rain. Her hair was slicked to her skull, looking for all the world like a drowned rat cowering against the back wall, her eyes locked on the light shining upon her. Nikolia stalked towards her, a high priestess of a blood sworn enemy of Kalseru. A chance to prove the world of his God and his message.

He stalked forward, and the preiestess wimpered out one word, "Please."
 
The priestess waited for Nikolia to get close to her. She could feel the power of her master, but it did her no good. She couldn't fight off this man. Fear coursed through her veins. Unbeknownst to her, Anjelay's priestesses were on their way to capture him.

The priestesses of Anjelay were told to bring Nikolia alive. Once they touched him, their Mistress's powers woudl bring him up to the heavens. The problem was touching him without dying. they hurried to where they had been told he'd be, not realizing that a priestess of their Mistress's brother was in danger.

In the heavens, Anjelay stood ready to transport her victim up to her. She licked her lips. She couldn't wait until she presented her newly brainwashed warrior to her brother. He'd be proud of her, she was sure, and Kelseru would fall.
 
Nikolia wasn't paying attention to the area behind him. Oh, he'd notice someone stomping downt he street in his direction of course. But he was hardly focused on spotting hidden, lurking figures in the distance. With the spotlight of judgement upon the priestess he snaked forward. His body seemed to snap rigid, leg extended backwards, and the blade extended as far foreward as it could go. His body was low and stretched out, and as it settled, his blade had prieced just three inches into the chest of the priestess. Nikolia's teeth were clenched tight, he was seething as the red glow faded from his eyes, and his blade seemed to pulse in his hand.

"Do you see?" he whispered to the priestess on the end of his blade, feeling her life fade from both the wound and the Kalseren magic that flowed into her through the blade.
 
The priestesses of Anjelay found Nikolia just as the priestess of Jorter crumpled to the ground. The death did not bother them half as much as one would have thought. They served the sister, and barely had a thought for the brother. Moving to surround Nikolia, they readied themselves for that one touch that would bring him to their mistress.

"Nikolia, servant of Kelseru," one said, "Our lady Anjelay would like a word with you." They watched him, worried they would lose a few of their number before they could take him to her.

In the heavens, Anjelay stood ready. The very moment her priestesses touched the mortal, she would have him. One tiny touch was all it would take. She licked her lips, wondering how long he'd last before he was kneeling at her feet.
 
Nikolia turned slowly to peer at the priestesses who spoke to him. His eyes were narrowed at them, his face a mask of disgust. His blade was still slick with the blood of fallen priestess behind him.

"If this 'Angeelee' wants to talk with me... she should do it herself," his voice put into a tone of menace. Depending on flunkies for a first contact, or some possible kidnapping. Definately not something he respected. And they were ruining his chance for a ritual over the recent kill.

"Or are you looking for something more?"
 
One of the priestesses walked towards Nikolia, her hands up in a symbol of peace. "Our mistress would love to talk to you herself. She sent us to invite you. Do you accept?"

Slowly, to not spook him, she reached out her hand. Should she fail, her sisters would try to touch him. Should they all fail, she wasn't sure what her mistress would do. She wasn't really part of the war, she had no business approaching this follower of Kelseru. Lady Anjelay was risking much, her followers could do no less.

"Just take my hand and you can talk to our mistress," she said. "We are not here to harm you."
 
"Tch. What's in it for me?" Nikolia refrained from taking the offered hand. He was standing back, his blade not yet raised as he stared down the priestesses. He could feel the thirll of the last kill fading away, his opportunites gone. And now they came, in a group, making the signs of peace, asking to meet someone without the cajones to show her face, offering nothing at all.

"How about this? I only stab you in the leg, and you leave me be?"
 
The priestesses looked at each other. This was not going well. Again, the one said, "She would like to meet with you. There are circumstances preventing her from coming herself. We understand you are fighting against Jorter, correct. She has valuable information, but to show herself would pull her into the war. As of yet, she is trying to appear neutral."

Placing her hand out again, she said, "Please, what harm can it be in talking to her. Our Mistress just wishes to talk. If you do not like what she says, she will return you. Anjelay is the goddess of the wisdom of fate. Surely that should spark an interest."

The others tensed, ready to jump should he refuse. They knew he could kill them, but they hoped that luck would allow one of them to touch him before they died.
 
The wisdom of Fate... Wisdom of Fate. Seemed like such an odd thing. What wisdom was there in fate? And why would a gooddess of such a thing care about him? Kalserens challenged fate. They made their own fate.

His eyes looked over, seeing one of the preistesses preparing to pounce. Lies and an ambush under the sign of peace? They were at least getting interesting.

"If that is true, tell your mistress to come to me. I have a place, safe from prying eyes, both mortal and not. There we shall discuss her role."
 
The priestesses looked at each other. They could risk trying to touch him, or have him just walk right into their Mistress' hands. Finally, the leader nodded. "Very well. There is a temple of Anjelay not too far from here. Go there, write down your location and time and burn the letter as an offering. She will recieve it."

They left him and went to the temple to report to their goddess. When Anjelay recieved their report, she was both angry and intrigued. The followers of Kelseru were a suspicious bunch, so she wasn't at all surprised. If he wanted to meet with her, very well. She could figure out a way to get him up to her room.

Leaving for her chambers, she dressed in her finest gown and jewels. Her brother was charity, and he sometimes gave her the donations of his followers. Selecting a perfume that was guarenteed to dizzy the mind of any mortal, she felt she was ready. All she needed now was the location.
 
Nikolia wasted no time, it wasn't in his nature. As the priestesses left, he was right behind them. He made no attempt to hide his presence from them. Nor did he talk to them. His blade remained in his hand, swinging back and forth as he paced after them. If they bothered to particularly stare at him, or try to pounce him again, well they'd probably get a rude gesture and a blade jabbed into them.

He slowed as he got to the temple, letting them move ahead of him. He gave the place a quick once over, noting any particularly well armed faithful, odd markings that he thought might be supernatural in nature, detrimentally supernatural that is. It wasn't the most through of scans, though he did look for any Kalseren Marks upon the place, warning of potential dangers. Covern symbols that would look like nothing at all to those untrained in thier deeper meaning.

Once he was satisfied with his short survey of the Temple and it's possible pitfalls and damnations, he finally made his way to the doors, saying nothing to no one unless stopped.
 
Anjelay waited for Nikolia's answer. Though the actual time was less then fifteen minutes, she was impatient. Ordering a priestess to show him to a private prayer chamber, she waited to hear him. She would bring him to her temple in the heavens on her own. She made sure she looked good for a mortal's eyes. Her blonde hair pulled back and tied with a strand of pearls. Her dress was sheer, showing off her body. She looked like a major goddess and that was her plan.

The second she heard Nikolia in her private room, she went to the earth. On his request, she appeared to him in a shower of gold, the show meant to make her seem more then just a minor goddess.
 
Nikolia looked up slowly as the goddess appeared. First thing, right out of his mouth came, "You're trying too hard," as he witnessed the display, the wealth she gaudily displayed. His blade had been put away, held at his right hip. His hands were empty, his weight shifted to lean heavily on his right foot. He was still rainsoaked, dripping on her floor. his clothing was crude and functional, ment for the stalking and killing, not ment for the audience she may have wanted. Oiled leather jacket, thick wool grey shirt, thick oiled breeches, worn, cracked boots.

The scent hit his nose, and he blinked slowly as he breathed it in. It seemed too sickly sweet, a cloying sensation that made him feel light headed. "W-what is your offer?"
 
Anjelay looked down at herself. "Well, yes, I suppose it was a bit much," she said. She had forgotten how simple the followers of Kelseru could be. she toned down the glow, but there was little she could do about the rest.

"My offer, Nikolia, is to win the war," she said. "I understand the followers of Kelseru and Jorter are at war, and that's causing problems in the heavens. Two gods fighting means everyone must pick sides. You understand that, right?"

She walked over to him, trying to look as sweet as possible. "I'm sure you want Kelseru to win the war. I know you are vital in tipping the hand. I can make sure that your side wins."

She wasn't lying, but she didnt tell him that his side would soon be her side.
 
He breathed deep again, a slow smile starting to break out onto his face, barely an upturning of his lips, but it was still a smile nonetheless as the goddess approached him. Internally he could hear his mind crying out to him, something was wrong. She was saying nothing, just BS and fluff, bying time... time for what? He couldn't find an answer, it seemed to keep eluding his thoughts. Maybe there wasn't an answer?

When she drew closer, it got worse. Something clicked in his head, some primordial awreness drilled into him through ritual and necessity. He did somethign quite childish seeming. He shifted his jaw, and bit down, hard, on his inner cheeks, keeping tha tsmile on his face even as he felt a rush of pain and an iron taste of blood something to him. Taking the edge off whatever was going on, though he was still feeling its effects.

"Give me terms, or it's over, no flowery bullshit."
 
Damn Kelseru! He should not have the power to invade her temples. She nearly had Nikolia under her sway, just enough to make this pleasant. Well, if he wanted to do this the hard way, she could. After all, she was sure she'd win.

"All right, no more flowery shit," she said. "Plain and simple, you are important to Kelseru, so you are important to me." She grabbed his arm and teleported them to the heavens. she was not going to lose this time. Kelseru would find it harder to get into her domain now.

"I plan on winning this war, and you are going to help me," she said.
 
... "Fuck," was all he could muttere. Being teleported, that momentary disorganization of being displaced through time and space. It threw him off his axis, being removed from whatever it was he knew. Disconnected from reality. He spit up, spewing out a bit of spittle and blood out towards the deranged goddess.

He fell down to one knee, breathing hard, regaining his focus. Where was he? He tried to think, through the haze and disorientation. He glanced around, getting his bearings before the deranged woman did something truly disasterous to him.
 
The moment he was down, Anjelay sprung her trap. He was caged and could not get out. This was her plan, to break him and then mold him into her soldier.

"Welcome to my home," she said. "Consider yourself now my personal guest. Nikolia, you will soon regret most of your past life, and live only to breathe at my command."

She left him there so he could get his surroundings. She had to change out of her outfit and into something easier for his training. Once he was ready, she'd inform her brother. For now, no one needed to know.
 
Gone. And as she left, he finally got his bearing sback under him. Whatever it was, he still wasn't sure, but there was something just, overwhelming about her presense. He shook his head slowly, thinking to himself, So this is the power of a goddess?

He stood back up, looking around at his caged status. Whil she aws gone he took stock, just as he did at her temple. He tried to see if the bars were wide enough to leg anything through, his head, his arm, a hand? He checked to make sure his weapons were still there, the blade at his side and his hidden ones. If he was clothed, what the floor was like, anything at all to help him out of his predicament. And of course, to feel his connection to his God and its manifestation.
 
By the time Anjelay re-entered the room, she had changed into a plain, short toga. Her goddess dresses were put away and she was at her most simple. Back, so long ago, Kelseru had once admired her like this. Back when her brother had helped him, before Kelseru became a god. It was not only Jorter who had been betrayed, but she as well. It also hadn't escaped her notice that her name was left out of Kelseru's personal mythology.

"Good, you're moving," she said. She had, for the time being, allowed him to keep his items. Let him enter this believing he could win. Kelseru can't help him here. That coward wouldn't dare enter her personal home. The sooner Nikolia realized his god had abandoned him once she got to him, the better.

"Don't bother trying to escape. That cage is made to hold the gods. A mortal like you won't stand a chance," she said. "I control it, and I now control you."
 
Nikolia stood in the center of the cage, he neither nrew closer, nor shied away from the goddess as she entered the room. A toga, a simple appearance, no guady jewelry, no blinding auras. She thought she was in control, in dominance. Like so many priestesses of Kalseru, and would be warrior maidens. It seemed familiar, and thus was comforting. As was his cache of weapons, and the connection to his god that he still felt, however distant.

"I am born a free man, and I shall die a free man. You don't have the power to control me."
 
Anjelay slowly made her way around the cage. Her fingers trailing over the bars. She knew she wasn't impressive or intimidating, but she was in control. The moment he relized that, the better.

"I don't care about your mortal life," she said, making her way around the cage again. "Here, you are mine. From this day out, I will give you the truth. No more...what did you call it before? Ah, yes, flowery bullshit. Only the truth between us." She stopped in front of him. "I wasn't lying when I said you were important to this little war. However, I don't fight for Kelseru. And don't bother trying to contact him. Even if you can, that means that the coward has to actually face me, and he hasn't been able to even utter my name since before his godhead."

She smiled, giving him a look over. "Today is the last day of your freedom. I suggest you live it up."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom