untitled: All Gone to Hell

 

 

"This is madness! How did he even hear of what was to happen?!" Robert Valen snarled as he paced back and forth in his great room in the House Valen. The oriental rug made a heavy sound under his boots as he walked it like a caged animal. Rowan had shown up out of the blue just when Robert was going to get Parliament to give him custody of Yoren, thereby allowing him the rights to have the boy recaptured and possibly sending an assassin to get rid of a few other pesky individuals at the same time. Now it seemed that Rowan had returned to Tenshihana, much to the surprise of everyone. Because he came under a parlay, he was able to avoid being captured and tried as a traitor. What's more, there were others in the council that seemed to revere him still, not just for his beauty but also for his incredible military wit. There are still those FOOLS that believe they can band together with Death and fight for peace...but there can be no peace. The demons need to be destroyed and Robert will not die until he sees that done...as well as the death of his insolent child. It makes him growl just thinking of it, glaring at his advisor who stands rigid near the door. "That bastard...I should have sold him off to be raped like the rest of my sons! Perhaps then he would have enough meekness in him not to be such a burden in my side!" Robert snarled. He quickly ordered for his servant to bring him a flagon of wine and something to "calm his nerves." He felt like beating something...likely whatever one of his younger boys that the servant dragged out of bed for him. His son, his nephew, his grandchild - he really didn't give a damn at this point. He was so angry, so vile with contempt for those cold green eyes that smiled back at him today in that courtroom. Quickly taking the flagon offered to him then, he drank down a great gulp of it and sat on a couch, thinking hard.

 

Ever since Rowan was born, it had been a terror to raise him...There was something in that boy, something far worse than anything Robert had ever seen. In truth, he was terrified of the child with those clear green eyes that looked right through him. As Rowan grew up, he was the eldest born to Robert's seventh wife - his sickly bitch mother, Liliath - and so he was spared having to be put in the trade. His beauty had been sought after though, but Robert could hardly allow a bottom with royal blood to be split. When he got older, Robert had thought to marry him off to some rich bastard or perhaps use the boy's connections through his mother to get to the government. It was that whole Remalphia business that started this though...Even now, he condemned that bitch. He didn't kill her, though, which was a relief. Someone else had gotten to her first. "Damn wench deserves it..." Robert grumbles, drinking down more wine. "Marrying some low-life actress's daughter...and a Jin, no less! Perhaps his mother was no different, though...She came from just as questionable roots, royalty or not."

 

"Sir, your boy is here..." the servant said as he led one of Robert's children into the room. Robert didn't even bother to look down at which one this one or who he sired it with. He was too agitated to care.

 

 

Ceata sat silently across from Farryn, watching the man as he made himself ready to tell the whole story. Ceata rubbed his chin, closing his eyes for a moment. What had happened with the whole Yoren incident? Hopefully Rowan had won it and returned, which would keep him away from Urius for longer. Currently, that was a good thing.

 

What Robert didn't notice was the fact that it was not a young boy that walked into the room. Rowan smiled coldly as he stepped inside, letting the servant fall dead where he stood, a knife in his heart. Robert's advisor was about to make a sound, yet shadows seemed to curl up from under him and spear his body like one fat sausage. Robert heard the gasping gurgling death cry and turned, staring then at his handsome young son that he hated so much. he snarled, glancing to the two fallen and starting to tremble. Their blood pooled on the fine oriental carpet and Rowan stepped forward, his black cloak brushing against the ground. His eyes gleamed a hateful red.

 

"I....I-I knew it...I...I knew you were a monster....I KNEW YOU WERE A MONSTER!!!" he screamed, rushing towards the fireplace where he had ornamental swords above it. However, he can't seem to get them off of their mounts, turning as he feels the other's presence behind him. Adonis simply grabs the other's hand and twists it painfully, the -

[19:34] Repsychus07: - snapping of bones heard. Robert screams in both terror and pain, falling to the ground and trying to wriggle free, but his arm is just a limp wet noodle on the end of his shoulder.

 

"Let's go for a walk, father..."

 

"GUARDS!! GUARDS, HELP ME!!!"

 

~ ~ ~

 

Suddenly an alarm sounds not too far away, a heavy gong being hit again and again and again. Farryn blinks as he sets down his glass, knowing very well that House Valen isn't too far away at all. In fact, they're in the Valen quarter. The Manor in all its cruel glory is just a few blocks away and over a bridge. "...What the-?"

 

Ceata was up swiftly as well, eyes wide and body tensed in alarm. He glanced to Farryn, shivering some. "What the hell was that, Farryn?" he demanded sharply, biting his lip in nervous tension. Whatever it was, it was surely nothing good. "Should we go and see...?"

 

"I don't know...but that's the alarm for House Valen. Something's going on," Farryn says with a frown as he gets up quickly, abandoning the wine and their talk as he goes to grab his cloak. Ceata follows him and the two head out quickly onto the streets, seeing that there are people leaning out their windows, all surprised by the sound of the alarm. One can see distantly down the street the tall towers of House Valen, its flags waving in the night. "Come on!"

 

Garbed in his cloak, Ceata hurried after him, boots thumping loudly as he runs after the angel. Rowan... it had to be him. Well, more likely Adonis. Ceata grit his teeth, scrambling after the other swiftly.

 

Not too far away, in the tavern room that Rowan had rented with him, Urius sits up in his bed as he hears the sound of the bell too. He quickly gets out of bed, throwing on his outer coat and his cloak and searching for his boots. Rowan is no where to be seen...No.....No, he couldn't have! Urius had seen the look in Adonis' eyes when they left the courtroom that day. Something sinister was brewing, he could feel it. Every inch of him was tightened with fear as Urius ran out of the room quickly, strapping his sword to his back. He feels breathless and ill as he hears the louder gonging in the streets. "No....Rowan, no..." he gasps as he runs as quickly as he can down the cobblestone, not heading towards House Valen. No, he's heading to where it all began...to the white towers of the Justice Department where the two first met. 

"What's going on?! I demand to know!" Farryn cries to a guard who is seen evacuating people from House Valen as servants rush out and guards funnel in, trying to catch who it was that took their Lord and killed two others.

 

"The Lord of House Valen has been captured by a monster, but no one knows where it has fled!" the Jin-Starc calls back out, still holding the door as the soldiers rush in. Everything here is chaos and, above it all, the gong continues to sound.

 

"DAMN IT!" Farryn snarls, turning to the street and looking around, wondering how this could have happened. Well, perhaps not how...but why now? Why here? Then again, there was no better opportunity...

 

Ceata shivered, looking about as the commotion made a milling chaos all around them, people knocking into him and making him stumble a little as he stood near Farryn. Where was Urius in this whole mess? He knew who was behind this, the feeling in his gut was too strong for it to be anyone other than him.

 

Urius had jumped on the back of his horse as soon as he untied him, digging his heels into the animal. It ran fast at break-neck speed down the cobblestone, its shod feet echoing loudly against the buildings on either side of him. He could see the crowd ahead of him as he neared the looming towers of House Valen. The lights were all on, torches and soldiers and people everywhere. "OUT OF THE WAY!!" he cried out in a bellowing voice, getting the people to rush away from him. As he rode by fast, his eyes caught someone in the crowd. Ceata stared as, as though in slow motion, the world seemed to cease turning for that second for their eyes to meet and they to recognize one another. It was a breathless moment, the air seeming to thin almost as Ceata could not bring himself to call out, forgetting the word...However, Urius remembered how to function and pulled hard on the reins, his horse turning and swirling about in place. His breathless desperate expression looked upon the surprised Ceata and soon wrinkled into anger and desperate fear. "Get out of here...!!! Ceata, you DAMN FOOL! Get out of here right now!!" he cried, Ceata trying to step forward and say something, but Urius' pleading eyes and voice stopped him.

 

"....I can't protect you both..."

 

He then turned and wheeled his horse around, hurrying off in another direction as fast as he was able. "H-holy shit, that was Urius!" Farryn cried, having only just realized.

 

Ceata stared, watching Urius wheel his horse and force it through the crowd. He gaped, brown eyes wide and whole body shaking. 'I cannot protect you both...' ran through his mind over and over, causing his shakes to rip through him worse. "Y-yes... we should... should get away from here, Farryn..." he uttered softly.

 

"We can't! Ceata, we need to follow him, damn it! What if Urius gets killed?!" Farryn says, quickly running after the other. Ceata is torn, knowing what he wants to do is turn back and run...He's scared, he doesn't wish to see Adonis again, and the look on Urius' face....Those words run over and over in Ceata's mind, though he finds his feet pulling him forward. Soon he is walking and then jogging and then running, his feet feeling heavy and his heart feeling worse. This is likely not the right thing to do but if Urius was to die alone, Ceata would never forgive himself. He runs, faster and faster, into the unknown.

 

Nor can Ceata allow Farryn to play the idiot and get himself killed. He hurries, still shaking, but he is swift and hurries to catch up with his companion. Damnit, Farryn was only making this worse, but Ceata could not turn back now. He thought about tearing off his cloak, but just yet it was highly unwise with all the angels milling about.

 

 

Ceata ran as fast as he could after Farryn, though the horse was far ahead of them and soon out of sight. Ceata became all the more aware of the winding and twisting roads of Tenshihana, realizing that House Valen is far to his back and right and that he would never be able to get back on his own. All there was for him now was to go forward. Even that seemed a bit daunting as the overwhelming vastness of this place could allow Farryn to easily leave his sight. The crowds were coming out of their houses though, a muddled confusion turning into a throng of chaos as people heard the gong of the Valen alarm for a good seven streets or more. Ceata was quickly tiring of all this running.

 

His chest burned, but he had to keep going or else he was going to get lost. He shivered, keeping his cloak close to hide himself and keep from being held back by the trailing cloth. Farryn was just ahead of him, bobbing through the crowds, ducking and disappearing at times as Ceata sped after him.

 

It was only when Ceata felt the hard back of his friend that he stopped, falling back onto his bottom and having to break his fall with his elbow. He looked up as if to glare at Farryn, but found the other staring at the sky with a look of horror. His eyes had not been trained at the sky, only the people before him...hence, as he slowly raised his gaze, he was equally terrified to find a great black mass of clouds forming as the light of the sunset turned into the darkest of night. What was going on here?

 

Ceata flinched, shuddering as he gazed up at the sky. Holy hell, just what was going on here?! He stumbled up, rubbing his hurt elbow as he huddled closer to Farryn. "What the fuck is going on!?" he hissed.

 

"I...I don't know..." Farryn gasped as he stood, transfixed upon the sky. "But...the sky...has only looked this way once before in my memory..." Farryn stared and his eyes got big before he looked forward at the crowd fleeing from a particular street, all terrified by the blackness that swirled overhead with increasing fury. Farryn grit his teeth and took off running again, Ceata after him. The hybrid was now angry, grabbing at Farryn and spinning him around as he demanded an answer right then and there.

 

"What is going on Farryn!?" He cried, brows knotted and an expression of annoyance wrinkling his face into a snarling mask. He wanted answers and Farryn could give them while he ran, damnit.

 

"Rowan's gone!!" Farryn cried, Ceata then realizing there were tears in his eyes. Ceata was struck by the words, hearing them tremble. "He's gone..."

 

"Gone..." Ceata's eyes widened and he shuddered, gripping at Farryn tighter and shoving him into motion. "Fuck fuck fuck!" He shrieked, "If Rowan is gone... " He didn't finish it, knowing Farryn well enough knew what he was trying to say."

 

"You have to stay here, Ceata...He'll want that locket...and if I don't stop Urius, he's going to kill him. You need to get Death, Lazarus, Rei, ANYONE...It's all gone to hell. There's nothing holding Adonis back anymore," Farryn said as he wiped his eyes, the screams of the people now becoming uproarious from one direction. Ceata and Farryn both looked forward towards the street they had been heading up, finding there a rippling darkness. "Oh, shit...RUN!!" He grabbed Ceata's arm and turned, following the throngs of people now fleeing from what looked like heat ripples in the air...These were actually beasts. They tore into the first person they could find, ripping them apart as Adonis sent them out to cast the people away. "His reach has already come this far? DAMN IT!" Farryn cursed, dragging Ceata along as fast as he could go.

 

Ceata growled and tore off his cloak, grabbing Farryn's arm and rushing even faster. The damn thing just kept him back and if they didn't go fast enough, they were going to get caught by those... whatever the fuck they were. "Fuckfuckfuckfuck!" Ceata hissed angrily.

 

Farryn and Ceata ran into the crowd from the street where they had just come. The people behind them were giving blood curdling screams as the creatures rippled. Ceata could catch sight of them out of the corner of his eyes. Like great cats...great cats completely transparent save for the few ripples they made with the air. It was like an intense heat had been surged into their bodies, as all you could see were their coal red eyes. Suddenly, the brand on Ceata's back began to emit searing pain that stopped him right in his tracks. He fell to his knees in the fleeing masses of people, almost trampled if not for Farryn. "Ceata!!! CEATA!! You have to get up - GAAH!" Farryn cried out before he was viciously pounced upon by one of those things. It dug its claws into Farryn and he gave a scream of pain as it dug fangs into his shoulder in an attempt to rip him apart.

 

Shuddering in agony, it was only mere chance that Ceata had the chance to release his own shadows, whom immediately tore into the beast attacking his friend, snarling and howling eerily as they fought it off long enough to allow Farryn to get up and force Ceata to his feet, the shadowshifter howling in agony as he stumbled. It hurt so bad, tearing up his spine with searing heat and tears clung to his lashes as he whimpered.

 

Farryn wasn't doing so well himself, for his shoulder bled heavily and his clothes were ripped. His Angel powers were trying desperately to fix the mangled flesh that connected muscles and tendons, but Farryn would not escape it without a terrible scar. The shadows did their job, however. They were the only things that stood between Ceata and Farryn and a very painful death. Still, the sky was darkening and a red angry mass of heat came hurtling down from the sky and hit the tower of House Valen where the gong had been sounding from. That sound immediately stopped as it began to rain fire from the sky. "Dear God...!!" Farryn cried, looking up as he saw Tenshihna slowly being engulfed in flames. They had come no where near Adonis and it was quite clear from Ceata's weakness that he was awake now.

 

Ceata ached, but grimly stumbled along, shadows writhing about him and Farryn, keeping them safe as they hurried away. His eyes flicked, catching the fire raining down upon the tower and tearing into it in a burst of flame and tumbling rubble from the top.

 

"Watch out!!" Farryn managed to cry out as he pushed Ceata and himself out of the way as hot mortar and woodwork fell from the high tower and littered the street. It struck Farryn in the back and he fell forward, covering Ceata from the whole mess with his body. Ceata cried out for the hard hit against the ground, causing him to see stars from the pain already running up and down his spine...but even as his eyes rolled back into his head, he knew they were not getting up from this. Smoke choked at their lungs and the screams of terrified Angels rang in the air as Ceata used what powers he had left to call out to his family in distress.