Blah you never posted!
Lub Cardinals Liab (Tibet Location)
Tibet
She had burst onto the scene like a bat out of hell, and in doing so, she had provided an invaluable distraction to my allies when we needed it most. Unfortunately, the Liafador Goddess' attack was short-lived. Just as soon as she had made her entrance she was gone, leaving IT behind. The famed Aegis Shield now hovers at my back, being held up by no small measure of my telekinetic strength.
The villagers watch me as I pass them by on the way to the Cardinals' sanctum, a look of disbelief on their humble faces once their eyes fall on the artifact. None of them know my name, but the mere sight of it affords me their respect. Or is it their fear?
"I'm looking for Ziccarra Liafador. I have something that belongs to her," I say to one of the Cardinals holding vigil at the door of a temple, my Force powers instantly translating my words to whatever language is most convenient to him.
"This area is reserved only for Cardinals," he responds with contempt.
"Good thing I have a VIP pass then."The Aegis Shield zooms from its place behind me to the directly in front the inquisitive Cardinal's face. Immediately he seems to recognize it and he gives me the same looks as the villagers.
"Ziccarra is not here. But..." he doesn't say the rest but his thoughts betray him.
"But her daughter is?" I smirk as he glowers at my mental intrusion. "Please let Ziccarra Jr. know that Jacob Grayson respectfully requests her glorious presence." Defeated, the Cardinal turns and walks in through the open door. I follow but remain at the atrium, watching from afar as Cardinal apprentices young and old hone their skills.
@last_guardian: "Someone stop that naked baby!" Catalina yelled, trying to corner a bare Tassi. For some reason both Tassi and Star never seemed to know when Cat was serious, they were always in play mode. "Tassiania, I'm serious! you have to put clothes on!" She screamed, trying to get the young Pettis to at least put a pamper on. Instead, the darling little Pettis dove under the Cardinal's feet and continued running through the monastery. "Ms. Liafador, someone has requested your presence" One of the Cardinal admins reported causing her to temporarily halt progress with trying to get Tassi dressed. Though Zeon was currently in charge of all the Cardinals, Catalina was the highest ranking Liafador here; so she was in charge. "YOU!" She called out prompting a female Cardinal to move in her direction. "Your new purpose in life is to get these clothes on that baby!" Disappearing in a portal of darkness, The Princess of Skulls reappeared in front of Jacob Grayson admittedly a bit confused.
"What" She said a bit rude, she'd never seen him before, and was sure he'd never seen her. As a matter of fact, she made it a habit of not being seen because she didn't want people to know she was still alive. Cat's eyes dart down toward the shield and suddenly her heart sank. Not saying anything she squat down to examine the runes and intricate Cardinal writings on the shield. "Th-This is my mom's shield."
Catalina and Ziccarra shared a bond that was unlike any of her other siblings, Cat was the genetic clone of Ziccarra, made to look and act just like her, but somewhere along the way she developed her own personality. The color slowly faded from her face, she hadn't received word of her mother's demise and only knew she traveled to Iceland.
"Is she dead?" Cat asked, effortlessly prying the shield from the stone slab it was lodged in. Just then the darkness over took her body fashioning the young Liafador in a outfit likened to her mothers' Goddess costume.
The moment I lay eyes on the younger Liafador, I can’t help but wonder if someone's playing a trick on me. She's the spitting image of the goddess who had so graciously helped my team in Iceland.
“Hey. You must be Ziccrra's daughter. I can see the resemblance.”
I sense the shift in her attitude from the initial annoyance of my presence, to the shock of seeing the shield in my possession, to a short but intense sadness, and finally a fierce anger that burned with a desire for vengeance. I’d be taken aback by the sudden surge of impassioned emotion if I hadn’t already witnessed such a thing with her mother in Iceland.
“Wait, cool your jets. As awesome as that power-up was, I never said your mom was dead. She seemed in pretty bad shape from a previous battle, but I watched her get away before we did.” Hoping to seem encouraging, I take a step forward.“I've been searching for her for the last few weeks. I heard about this place from a trusted source, so I came here. I’m sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that."
As I stand before her in awkward silence awaiting her response, I can sense something else on her mind. Despite, the fact that my life at the moment is a chaotic whirlwind of moving parts, I still sense goodness in the daughter of Ziccarra and an urge to help the young girl through whatever it is that's bothering her materializes. "I'm Jacob, by the way,"I greet her, extending my hand as gentlemanly as possible."I don't mean to intrude but...I feel like there's more on your mind. Now that I'm here, if you need help with anything. Like, maybe finding your mother? I can give it a shot."
The revelation that her mother so how made it out of Iceland was soothing, she knew what most people didn't know about Ziccarra Liafador. She wasn't The Goddess, the Goddess was a different entity all together. Losing her mother for something the Goddess might've gotten her into would've been tragic. "That news is actually relieving to hear" Cat sighed, shifting back to her normal clothes. "Catalina" Her response came by meeting his handshake gesture.
It was at that moment, between Grayson's words that Tassi came running from the monastery adorned in a black halter top, a pink tu-tu with floral embedded leggings. "What in the actual world Tassi!" Cat screamed, watching as her little sister leered back in her direction with a wide smile on her sticky little face. "I apologize domina, but the task was much harder than I expected" The Cardinal Guard reported with her head down. "It's fine, it's fine" She said dismissing the Cardinal with a motion of the head. "It seems my sister is all grown up and can dress herself" Cat said, holding Tassi by the head as the darling little Pettis clutch her leg.
"Well Mr. Grayson, I would love to go out and find my mother, but there's a matter of Tassi" She said, glancing down at her beautiful baby sister. "Also...I've done a lot of terrible things in my short life, there's no way I'd ever be able to go out in public. People would notice me. It's probably for the best that I stay here and hopes she return to me"
I step out of the way as the oddly dressed baby runs out of the monastery. "Wow, so stylish,"I joke as I watch her grab onto her older sister's leg. I'm reminded me of when my little sister Alessandra was a baby. She'd call me Obi because, for some reason, she couldn't pronounce my full name and she'd run around the house in nothing but her diapers breaking everything she touched along the way. "What's your name, little one?": I ask the baby Liafador with a big smile on my face.
"Tassi!"she responds gleefully.
"I'm Obi, it's a pleasure to meet you, beautiful."
"Cute kid,"I laugh, looking back up at Cat before listening intently to her response.
"I understand. The Liafador name has gained some infamy in my time away from Earth. In fact, my closest friend was impacted by your family in a pretty terrible way. But...If I've learned anything from the past few weeks, it's that redemption is something we all have a right to. We do a lot of bad in our lives. All of us. We just need to do more good." I say that with the utmost sincerity as I reflect back on my own bloodstained past.
"Have a nice day, Catalina, and you too, baby Tassi. Give your mother my regards, and my thanks." Without further ado, I step away from the monastery doors, turn on my heels, and start my way back on the path into the village below. Something inside me, however, makes me look back once last time. In doing so, my eyes lock with the child Liafador's and, immediately, my body freezes, my muscles tense, and a vision plays in my Force-sensitive mind.
My eyes shoot open and I'm back in Tibet, staring blankly at the Liafador sisters."Wait!"I yell out before they can close the doors to the monastery. Jogging back to them, I'm immediately confronted by the Cardinal Guard who is in the process of unsheathing his sword. I defend with a quick wave of my hand and a commanding,"You're hungry. Go eat," to which he responds by repeating my words before absentmindedly walking away in the opposite direction. I'm left face to face with Catalina once more, my visage now devoid of the comforting smile I wore minutes ago, replaced by an absence of color and cold beads of sweat running down my forehead.
I'm shivering, my voice shaky. I can still feel my body dying, melting in the extreme heat of a power unlike any other. "This is going to sound really weird but you're gonna have to trust me. I think you're in danger. Do you, by any chance, know a Maya Liafador?"
@last_guardian: "I understand Jacob, but there are some evils that you just don't come back from and I'm afraid I haven't" Cat said, watching as Tassi and Star waved bye to the visitor. "Tassi would you like some Ice Cream?"
"Ice Kweam! Tassi screamed whilst jumping around Cat, and Star around her. "You can have some Ice cream hun, just let me put some different clothes on you first" Catalina negotiated. Cat stood with her hands press against her hips as she literally watched Tassi think about it. The young Pettis' eyes dart to Star, which cause the eldest sister's eyes to dart to Star. <Bark!> The small animal cried with it's tail wagging happily. "Ok Cat, You dress Tassi and then Ice Kweam!" Cat sighed in relief, who would've thought all her decisions would be officiated by a K9.
It was at that moment Star's bark went back toward the entrance, heralding the return of Jacob Grayson. Cat watched with a confused brow as the Cardinal Guard leisurely left his post to go get something to eat. "Are you ok?" she asked as he walk pass her. "Hungry, can't talk" He murmured almost absent minded.
Jacob brought up the subject of Maya, one of her younger sisters. The one who had been poisoned by their mother, with darkness that once consumed Cat. "Maya is my sister, why do you feel like we're in danger?" Unknown to the Skull Princess, at this very moment; Ziccarra and Zeon were engaged in combat with the Gray Sage for Maya's dagger, the moment Maya was to be freed from the darkness--so too would the Phoenix force.
Since the vanishing of her family, Zeon had resided within the Cardinal Temple in Tibet. Her white cardinals guarded the temple as the Grand Cardinal Mistress began to plan her next steps. She had gathered all of the Cardinals that were left behind from her family, and were now all under her rule. But still, her sisters had not been found. Annoyance was beginning to dig into her. She was going to have to try and find them herself. “Have we heard anything from the Cardinals in Venezuela?”
“No Zeon, nothing yet.” One of her cardinals spoke, his head bowed to her as he did.
Before she could respond, the doors to the chambers opened, a white Cardinal, bowing before entering, came in. “Padrona, we found an intruder. He’s doesn’t seem to have any weapons, or gear with him. He has not reached the temple grounds yet, would you like for us to kill him before he does?”
Her brow arched at the news. A person coming to the temple unannounced? “No.” Zeon spoke as she stood up from where she sat. “I will go to him myself.”
There was a reason she decided to see this man for herself. The mountains that surrounded the temple were cold, harsh and merciless. For someone to make it this far up without any assistance was impressive.
In the frigid wasteland she wore only her Matriarch armor, hood over her head and mask covering the lower portion of her face. There was no need for more covering, the heat of her inner rage keeping her core warm enough to withstand even the coldest of weather. She stood above on the stones of the mountain, looking down at the lone figure that was shuffling through the snow. Something was…. Indeed different about this man. She watched as he rose his hands in the air, as if surrendering himself.
With a single leap she fell down several feet before landing on the ground before him, using the power of the Aggressor to soften her landing in a crouching position. Slowly rising pulled the mask down from her face, showing herself to the unknown man as she pushed her hood back. Looking over to the almost frozen over man, her crimson eyes examining him from head to toe. She should just kill him now, put him out of his misery. But oh, curiosity was getting the better of her right now. “You appear to be lost. I suggest you go back from where ever it is you come from.” She stood tall, her shoulders strong, as she spoke out, demanding answers, her Italian accent thick. Smoke from the warmth of her breath escaping from between her lips, no hint of chill in her spin as she waited for a reaction from the frosted man.
NO YOU DON'T!
Black House, A Month Prior
Behind the walls of a reconstructed and re-purposed Black House, The Beast From The East dropped from his elevated seat and stood before the gathered mass of his guild of assassins and spies; The Espada. Arms folded behind his back, his posture poised and his aura exuding the cold confidence and quiet intensity of a Machiavellian killer, Genki's hazel eyes fell upon his underlings. Sharp and predatory, his gaze peered through their eyes and into their souls. "Clinical psychopaths, every single one of them", he thought, a subtle and suave smirk tugging at the edge of his lips. His underlings, those he would trust to keep watch of The Espada and of Black House during his absence. They were qualified. All held an Eidetic memory and an almost supernatural capacity for observation and mimicry.
Abilities and qualities they did not owe to superhuman genetics, mutations, freak accidents or items of power. Theirs was a simple and well-known source; psychopathy. Genki's cronies have no conscience nor any feelings of guilt or remorse. No limiting sense of concern for others. To them, moral responsibility was a burden readily accepted by others without question. They were men and women of truth living in a world that was gullible. Through mimicry and deception, they concealed their strange psychological makeup. "It is easy for them", thought The Beast From The East, his eyes still transfixed on those gathered that night. Easy for them because the world and everyone in it assumes that conscience is universal among human beings. They kill without remorse, spy without committing mistakes, and act in any role and as any character Genki requires them to.
They wore black and red, and Genki who would tonight leave them on their own, wore white. "You all know it. It is no secret", Genki began, his unique Japanese-Spanish inflection echoing, one that stemmed from his rare ethnicity. "I am going to join the Cardinal ranks of Zeon Liafador". The Espada stood quiet, as if indifferent to their leader's revelation. In truth, they were simply in control of themselves. "It is not just Gothic City. Our expansion will be across the world", he said calmly, his voice smooth and with a depth meant to hypnotize the listener. "An expansion that will be disrupted if I allow a potential rival to rise to power", he paused. "And if we move into Cardinal territory unprepared, we will lose. So for now... I will join them. Study them. Learn of their strengths and weaknesses. Zeon's strengths and weaknesses".
"And then I will return". It was simple. There was no argument, no protest nor riot. His underlings understood and he was pleased. And those who felt that Genki should instead work with the Grand Cardinal Mistress kept their thoughts to themselves, perhaps it would unravel as a natural and eventual course of action for The Dragon.
Lub Cardinals Liab, The Present
In the snow-capped mountains of Tibet, Genki had physically changed his face. He could not violate the law of conversation of mass to grow taller or shorter, but his appearance was different. All owed to an ability that was not genetic but a strange combination of tools, special training and esoteric technology. Whatever his means, The Dragon had changed his face. His hair was shortened, his eyes no longer hazel but a darker shade like endless tunnels, and his features had been made softer and more charming. Draped in traditional Cardinal garb, his gloved fingers curling round the hilt of his sword as he trekked through several feet of snow that climbed beyond his ankles, Genki wondered how long it would take him. How much longer he would have to remain a Cardinal to truly uncover the core of who Zeon was.
For a month now, he'd made himself a part of the Cardinal ranks, doing as they did, obeying as they obeyed, and excelling where his contemporaries, his colleagues had failed their Grand Cardinal Mistress. One hand gripping the hilt of his sword, the other wrapping his mask tighter round his hooded face so that only his eyes were seen, Genki'd given himself a name, one that his colleagues and Zeon knew him by; Sage. Frost clinging to the edges of his face, the snow falling harder as though heralding a storm, the conditions were growing harsher. Where Genki had hoped to train in the solitude of this frozen wasteland, he would be forced to do so indoors, in his private quarters yes but closer to his colleagues. He felt was their better. His skill and fight IQ was impeccable. His killer instinct one that could not be taught. And his ability to adapt mid-fight was on a world of it's own.
As he drew closer to the temple where the clanging of metal blades echoed, where the grunts and shouts of training men and women hung thick in the air, The Beast From The East scoffed. These were not his contemporaries. Zeon however, was. He'd never train with his colleagues, he'd never lower himself to their level. No, he trained alone. He needn't any full-contact sparring. But if he were to spar, to train with another, it would be with Zeon, the only one he felt was at his level. The one who'd commanded his lesser contemporaries into seeking out her sisters. "Grunt work", he thought dismissively, striding past the training grounds and into the privacy of his quarters, the wooden door closing behind him as he slipped off his coat and mask, tossed his sheathed katana to the side and readied himself to shadow box then pulverize his heavy bag/punching bag.
Smiling wide his teeth showed and his eyes shined in the falling sun, his skin still sizzled as the sun had done a decent amount of damage to his face and hands. As soon as the sun set his skin returned to its pale yet slightly yellow tinge, he smiled at her not because of her power but more her skill. If he hadn't been watching her directly as she fell he never would of heard it happen, his hands slowly lowered to his sides palms inward. As he seemed motionless and speechless he thought of various of ways that the next few moments could go. He knew that if he didn't word it correctly what he had to say would seem like a direct threat, and he did not need nor want that so he did his best and he took to one knee bowing his head to her.
It had been a very long time since he bowed before anyone, let alone a woman and even more so he bowed before a creature that was not like his own. His hand moved fast and he flicked his wrist, letting a patch of cloth fall to his palm and he held it up to her. It was a piece of one of her cardinal's sash. He knew immediately that she would recognize it, even know exactly who it belonged to so he spoke as he rose again to his feet. "My name is Jaycobe Malciumus and I am one of the Norway cl-I am the last of my line. I come as I have felled three of your cardinals it would seem, and upon drinking from them found I had made a grievous action. To drink let alone kill someone accord to a person of your nature and power was not my intention. I simply defended myself, I could have stopped at the beating I gave them and that they gave me...but I needed to feed and that took precedent." taking a deep breath he continued still his eyes looking into hers, not an attempt at calling her but out of respect for the power she held within and over those who served her "I did not come to grovel nor to ask for forgiveness, more...to how do you say it Una asociación? I saw power in their eyes as I drank, power that gave me quite the beating..." he drew a single finger and his nail extended and he sliced his shirt down the middle, opening it to the sides his torso still covered in bruises and inside bones still broken and healing "Years has it been since I was at the end of such a power, I normally am the one to dole out said power. I do not wish to have it my own, I wish to associate with said power....to have a nest once again...a clan with such power flowing through its veins." Jake stood his eyes never wavering from hers he could feel power bleeding out from her and he hoped if she lashed out...that he did not have to react on life or death means...he wanted to feel the power again
@madridista:(Sorry it took me so long to reply, had a crazy busy week >_<)
Zeon watched as her Cardinals trained, endless hours, seeking to please their Mistress through their sweat, bruised and battered bodies. Her head held high as she roamed the skirts of the temple. It wasn’t their love that she wanted, it was their hate, their rage, their thirst for violence, the burning in the pit of their stomach when faced with the one thing in the world that disgusted them with anger. The Demigoddess of Rage wasn’t just a self place title, she was in fact a Cardinal Demigoddess, unlike her Zia who was a full Cardinal Goddess and her children who were hybrid God and Goddess, but her power, though not as strong as theirs, was still there. Her power came from her anger, it always had, and when around weak minded individuals, Zeon could subconsciously, over time, influence that burning anger inside them. It would be unnoticed to her Cardinals as it would happen so slowly, but to anyone who had been trained to resist mental influence would take longer. It was slowly beginning to surface, she could see it in the eyes of her Cardinals, the rage was ever so slowly creeping upon them.
But there was a single individual who stood out among the rest, one that even caught the eyes of Zeon. He called himself ‘Sage’, a person who was filled with wisdom, and he was, in combat. No one knows where he came from, he just seemed to appear with the remaining Cardinals from other factions of the family. His combative style wasn’t that of her Cardinals or even Ziccarras or Isis or even Catalina’s Shadow Cardinals. The way he trained was unlike anything she had seen before, but he would never spar with the other Cardinals. Pride? Wouldn't that be ironic. But it was that kind of pride that Zeon had no use for, the type of pride that could result in a rebel against the Cardinal ways, one that she used to have before her Zia put her in her place before her own Cardinals years ago.
As she continued to pace through she watched silently as ‘Sage’ began walking away from the training grounds. With curiosity about this mysterious Cardinal burning in her mind, she began to follow him, until she watched as he stepped into his own private quarters. Zeon had never approached him before since his joining, in fact, she seldom ever approached any Cardinals ever since the betrayal of Ziccarra. Trust, with anyone outside of her own personal Cardinals, was very rare. But this man, this ‘Sage’, caught her attention, and once something had her attention, she would become tunnel visioned with it until she was satisfied. She waited a few moments, not so much questioning herself if it ok to enter the room, but rather if it was safe to enter the room of an unknown man with his level of skill. But without hesitation, she slid his wooden door open without warning. She stepped fully into the room as she closed the door behind her, her eyes shifting over to him seeing him before a punching bag. “Do not stop, continua.” <Continue> she instructed him as she maneuvered herself to one side of the room, her arms crossed along her chest, her eyes visually examining his every movement.
@feral_nova: @zeon_liafador: (No worries, Nova!)
One-two. One-two-three. One-two-three-four. Combination after combination, his fists teased the border between ordinary and superhuman speed. Panting, his breath misting in the cold air of his candlelit room, Genki shadowboxed until he felt his muscles loosen and grow hot with readiness. Striding past a candle, it's flame flickering as he waggled his arms, shadows cast over the contours of his bare and muscled back, the Dragon stopped some inches from a punching/heavy bag. Brushing away any strands of hair that'd strayed onto his forehead, Genki took a step back and the door to his room creaked open before closing. He paid it no mind, assuming it was no more than a colleague of his among the Cardinals, one seeking a sparring partner or discussion about the greatness of Zeon.
Instead, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the Grand Cardinal Mistress herself. He didn't speak, nor did his expression betray his surprise. His composure was icy, and his confidence colder still, Genki's eyes returned to the punching bag. Rolling his shoulders with an almost arrogant swagger, Genki assumed an orthodox stance, left foot forward and right foot back, left hand forward and right hand held closer to his chin. He breathed in, his chest heaving, and he unloaded on the punching bag. Blasting his left fist into the punching bag with a stiff jab before turning his hips into a powerful low kick, the Dragon smashed his shin into the punching bag with a loud thud. Hopping back, he reset his stance before exploding forward once more, feinting to the left as he dipped his body, blasting a right cross to the punching bag's midsection before following up with a left hook that landed higher, and a right high kick that landed even higher.
The punching bag swung from side to side, and the Beast from the East cast a predatory gaze upon it, chin up as he squinted his eyes, envisioning the right cross-left hook-right high kick combination on an enemy. The punching bag's midsection would've been an enemy's solar plexus, and the top-section where his left hook and kick had landed? The enemy's head. Turning round and away from the punching bag, Genki's dark eyes met Zeon's. While Zeon's were a dark chocolate brown that wore her rage well, his were almost hauntingly dark, like tunnels meant to hypnotize and mesmerize instead of see. Head subtly tilted to the side, he strode forward, his back straight like the confident posture of a gorilla, Genki almost invaded her personal space, his feet stopping a mere inch from it, casting an air of tension between them. He didn't fear her. She drew his curiosity.
He did after all, come here to learn of her, be it for his original purpose or a new and unknown one, he'd never say until the moment had come. He held her gaze before studying her features. She was beautiful, but even deadlier. There was a killer instinct in her eyes that could not be taught. It was something they shared. Though while hers was drawn from rage and hate, his was drawn from a predatory cold. Stepping back and away from the border of her personal space, he wore a daring smirk, silently teasing her before he spoke, "It is not everyday the Grand Cardinal Mistress comes to watch one of her Cardinals train in the privacy of his or her quarters", he began, his distinct Japanese-Spanish inflection gone in favor of an Italian accent, something familiar to her. "But why only watch?".
"I'd never waste my time training with the others. They've nothing to offer me, nothing to learn and no fun to be had", he paused, Genki shrugged, boldly unapologetic as his gaze fell from her face to her figure, his smirk returning to him briefly. "But you? The Grand Cardinal Mistress herself? With you I wouldn't be wasting my time. But you are wasting yours by only watching me", he said. "Spar with me", he requested, assuming a different stance from before. He stood at southpaw, his right foot forward and his left foot back. He tucked his chin and kept his left fist close to it. He extended his right arm, keeping his right fist out while he kept his feet wide. He bounced on his toes and leaned his upper-body back from the waist. He stood sideways. It was the Shotokan Karate stance.
The belief is that Ramon Liafador, The Last Patriarch, had only 4 children. Kane, Marcos, Ziccarra,and Sophia. Kane, the first born. Marcos, the loyal Red Cardinal Son. Ziccarra, the Queen Cardinal or the Red Cardinal Goddess, take your pick. And Sophia, the product of Ramon not being able to keep it in his pants.around a housekeeper. These are all the children of Ramon Liafador, the Last Patriarch…
Or so it was believed..
In fact there is one more child of Ramon, another daughter. Whether she was the Forgotten Liafador or the Lost Liafador depends on who is telling the story of her life, but before her parents plunged her into the death trap known as the Pit, she was known only as Bellona Liafador.
And at the age of 7 she was thrown into the Pit, the same pit that Ziccarra would later stumbleupon, the same pit that several others who shared the name Liafador would venture through. Some would call it fate, others would call it a coincidence, some might even call it destiny for those who shared the name to all go through it. Bellona didn’t know and Bellona didn’t care, because at the end of the day, she never made direct contact with them while they were in the Pit. They came and left freely, but Bellona couldn’t or maybe didn’t want to leave the only place she had really come to know. 33 years, 33 years she had spent in that pit. For 33 years she fought for survival in that dreaded place she called home. 33 years she had wandered through it, with not even a trace of her parents looking for her.
More than 3 decades feeling abandoned, 396 months fighting for each day as it was your last, 1,720.1 weeks picking herself up each time she fell down. 12,045 days hoping for the nightmare to end. 289,080 hours in the Pit until she finally broke free of the chains that place held on her, and escaped it only with her armor and sword, both ‘gifts’ from the Temple deep inside the Pit.
As Bellona took each step away from the Pit, farther and farther from the place she had feared daily, she ached to turn back and go back to the only place she had really known, but she knew this was another test. One final test from the Pit, everyone walks out of it learning something different about themselves, leaving a piece of themselves in the hellhole they so desperately tried to escape, and questioning whether they have changed too much in there to ever go back to the life they had before it. A test Bellona could not afford to fail, so she carried on fighting the urge to dive back into the purgatory she had become Queen of.
What was even stranger than the Lost Liafador wanting to venture into the Pit, was her sense of it in the opposite direction of the Pit itself. It felt exactly like the Pit, but smaller and more faint, as if someone had taken a piece of the Pit with them and carried it far away from it’s true destination. Curiosity and the urge to return to the Pit, drove Bellona to chase this secondary presence of the Pit down, no matter how far it would take her. She felt deep down in her gut this was the best way to find her family, that so long ago had forgotten about her.
In a crowed of organized chaos, in the middle of the Cardinal arena several Nestlings were fighting in hand to hand combat against a single individual who was striking down one Cardinal in training after another, each of them slamming forcefully to the ground, grunting and moaning in pain as the attacker never missed a single step. For hours this had been going on as Nestlings were limping away from the fight in groups, going to rest as others would jump in to take their place. Giovanni stood silent, looking from the outer edges of the ring with a notepad in hand, continually jotting down notes of the training at hand. As the final Nestling fell the individual left standing stood tall above the defeated Cardinals to be. The Matriarch, Self Proclaimed High Cardinal Goddess, Zeon, dressed in her Matriarch attar as looked down at the group of groaning nestlings with a glare of disappointment in her eyes.
“Go to your quarters and lick your wounds, we will begin once more at dawn.” The Cardinal Goddess of Rage spoke as she stepped over the trainees. She was more aggressive than usual with the cardinals in training. But there was… something… off about today. She couldn’t figure out what it was. She felt the sensation that something was coming, something familiar yet new. It was difficult to explain. But she didn’t like it.
Gio quickly followed behind the Matriarch, keeping his three steps behind her as a show of respect. “Mistress Zeon, well done. But… perhaps you could be a little… less aggressive with the Nestlings, at least until they become Fledglings.”
“When we go forth and attack Ziccarra and her new following, she and her family will not show any mercy to my Cardinals.” Her eyes snapped over to Giovanni. “I need them to be able to handle her warriors as I focus on killing Ziccarra."
The loyal adviser of Zeon gave a weary grin. "Yes, about killing your Zia, I know you wish for her to answer for her crimes against the family but-"
Zeon stopped in her tracks, her head darting over to Gio, cutting him off mid-sentance. "She has betrayed this family, and the Liafador Legacy clearly states ‘Betrayal of a family member is to be taken up with the Matriarch. Betrayal of the Matriarch is punishable by death.’. It is time that Ziccarra and her family face the Liafador justice.”
“Pardon me, Matriarch Zeon.” A White Cardinal came before her, quickly taking a knee before her as he lowered his head in respect. “A group of scouts found a young woman roaming through the mountains just outside the temple, alone. They say she…” There was a hesitation in his voice. “That she has the features of a Liafador, but is not anyone known within the family tree.” He didn’t dare look up at Zeon as the former White Cardinal.
Zeon stood silent for a moment, was this it? Was this what she was feeling deep within her? Zeon looked over at Gio once more, only to receive a perplexed look upon his face. He knew just as much as she did. This individual could be one of three things… sent by her father like her sister Jessica was to kill her, sent by Ziccarra to kill her, or was genuinely an undiscovered Liafador seeking out family. But how would she have known to come to this temple isolated in the icy mountains?
“What would you like us to do?”
“Allow her to see you from a distance and lead her to the temple, but do not interact with her. I want to be the first to speak with her. Understood?”
“Si mi Pardona" He spoke before standing up, keeping his head down as he turned and walked away to carry out The Matriarchs newest commands.
"Is it wise to bring an outsider to the temple?" Gio inquired.
"If what the scouts findings are true... then we may have a new member of the family to welcome in." A wicked smile began to stretch across her face. "But if not, we can simply use her as a live pressure point training dummy for theFledglings. I see it as a win-win situation."
As Zeon stood silently in the temple, Giovanni standing several steps behind her with his notes at hand. She could physically feel something approaching the Temple, she couldn’t explain it, but it was beginning to feel vaguely familiar, in a bone chilling sort of way. A look of uncertainty appeared on The Matriarchs face as she motioned towards one of her White Cardinals to come to her.
“Gather the veteran Cardinals, have them out of site but ready to strike upon my command.” Without a word the Cardinal bowed his head and backed away from the Matriarch to carry out her orders as Zeon then felt it. “She’s here.” she breathed out, her muscles tightening as the energy she was feeling became stronger than ever as she began feeling even more uneasy than before.
She moved forward, walking down the ‘empty’ halls the pull of this energy becoming even more stronger. It was almost as if she wasn’t even walking on her own anymore, rather the energy was moving her. As she turned into the main hall, her chocolate eyes landed on a single young woman, wielding a blade in her hand while in a defensive stand, the two eyes met and instantly Zeon recognized not the woman, but the energy that was radiating off of her. “The Pit.” She murmured every so quietly under her breath. How was this young woman, able to radiate the power of the abyss? She couldn't help but stare at her for a few moments, looking at the details of her features that were indeed of the Liafador bloodline. She didn't know who this woman was, but she knew the next few moments were either going to make her a enemy... or potential ally. “Welcome to The Liafador Cardinal Temple.” Zeon finally spoke out, holding her head high and her shoulders back as her voice echoed through the temple. “My name, is Zeon Liafador, Matriarch of the Liafador Family. What is your name and how did you make your way here?” Zeon couldn't help but wonder... was this woman the product of The Pit? Or perhaps an experiment of one of her uncles gone wrong? Or another sibling her father managed to get a hold of and sent to finally kill Zeon?
These...Liafadors, they document everything. This place wasn't easy to find, but my counter-part has a thing for theatrics; she detailed her conquest of the Tibetan Provinces in a manifest called the "Liafador Legacy" dropped me here...at the Cardinals location.
As much as I'd hate to say, these Cardinals appear to be more of a well trained unit than mine were. Loyal, ready to die for their mistress.
If only mine had shown a bit of moxie, perhaps I wouldn't have had to kill them all. The trechcoat keeps me hidden in a veil of Darkness, It's the reason why I'm nearly undetectable. Landing just before the mouth of the Sacred Temple of Cardinals and I can hear them sounding the alarm. The vibrations from their frantic footsteps riddle the ground, I can't help but smirk; only because I know they're forming around a central point, whilst the first responders make preparations to approach.
From afar they shout, demanding that I give up my name; and state the nature of my buisness. See that's just it, they are not the nature of my business; I will answer to no grunt. "I am not here to talk...it takes too much time" I reply before extending both hands forward. From the tips of my finger tips flies my photon energy, Blue cackling lightning like energy seeking to fry them where they stand. I taught this to Maya, but mine has surpassed hers by years. "Tell your Mistress I have arrived. Death comes to those who refuse to kneel."
The Liafador of Rage stood in the study hall with a snickering grin on her face. Her ‘aunt’, Bellona Liafador, had stumbled upon the temple, and is demanding justice for what her parents (Ramon and Sebella) had done to her. Anger rose in the ‘young’ Liafadors heart, a poison that Zeon was all too willing to feed with promises of taking Bellona to the island where Ziccarra and her family were. “Giovanni, are the Cardinals ready?” Zeon spoke, looking upon the family book of lineage, writing Bellona’s name into it right beside her siblings. What her grandparents were thinking of at that time, throwing a child into the Pit, would be lost to the Matriarch, but their mistake, would give her the edge she needed to take ‘justice’ to Ziccarra.
“Yes, we will be ready to move out at first light.” Her faithful and loyal servant of over a decade spoke.
But before further planning could go on… the alarms set off. Zeon’s head perked up. More of an annoyance as she shut the book forcefully. Who dared came upon the temple uninvited? The Matriarch moved across the temple grounds as waves of Cardinals from every faction made their way towards the intruder. What a fool this person must be.
Then, screams of pain mixed with the roars of battle cry could be heard as the stink of death began to quickly fill the air. Was the temple really under attack? Walking out to the mouth of the temple as her brown eyes fell upon the unknown woman as she stood above the Liafador’s dead warriors, catching the last few words of the cloaked woman.
The Liafador Matriarch spoke, her voice booming over the chaos. “I know not who you are, but you, are not death, for I have looked into it’s eyes of eternal damnation and lived. Death does not need to announce itself. Death takes what it owns. You are nothing but an imitation, and I am far from impressed.”
Zeon reached for her blade, pulling it out swiftly in one smooth motion. “But if it is death you are seeking, I will gladly lead it to you.” A smirk spread across her lips as her eyes shifted into a crimson glow, channeling the powers of The Aggressor. She moved quickly across the battlefield, closing the distance between the two warriors with astonishing speed. With her blade in hand she pushed forcefully with her right hand in a horizontal motion, attempting to slice through the flesh of the attackers chest, but as she swung her body continued to move in one motion, spinning on the balls of her feet as she made a complete 360 spin before outstretching the palm free hand towards the abdomen of the woman, using her channeling of The Darkforce to attempt to TK blast her back outside the temple to take the battle to a more open plane.
"Very Well then" She murmured, as her cousins counter-part spew non-sense from her mouth. Zeon closed this distance between them, which admittedly drew applause from the Prime Ninjan Queen, she didn't expect Zeon to be so fast.
Zeon's blade had been telegraphed long before she intended to use it, a small but efficient studder-step allowed the Ninjan Primer to narrowly escape the unmerciful edges of Zeon's blade. What her Ninjan Keen sight did not fortell was Zeon's ability to use TK
As the Native Liafador churned her feet, Ziccarra moved in to attack but was overrun by a ravaging exhibition of Telekentic prowess. Prime's body torqued backwards, before 'skipping' across the mountainous terrain; eventually coming to a halt a couple feet into the distance. "Heh..." She grunted, before rising once again to her feet. Red blotches of damage skin were visible on the Queen's body, blood crept down the pit corners of her mouth, but she saw no reason to smear it just yet. Unlike her universal counter-part she wasn't a field general; her skill was derived from decimating her opponents with copius amounts of energy, leveling entire towns; and destroying whole planets. Because she needed Zeon's cousin and her 'Sister' to complete the Index the untamed Ninjan 'Messiah' would have to tone down her abilities, and tailor it to this one encounter.
"I created the Cardinals...they should be praying to me!"
On thing that all "Ziccarra's" seemed to share was their ability to strike across vast distances. She was the Prime, the one who began it all. Stepping forward with blood running down her chin, The Queen's eyes sparked before generating a loud sonic turbine sound.
"You will have no empire!" She screamed before firing her photon energy, from her eyes. Her eyes ignited with enough force to level a mountain; Heat hot enough to vaporize whole towns.
The beam of energy however; was a mere distraction, serving only to destroy the Temple of Cardinals, she'd kill them because of their leaders disobedience. Underneath the powerful beam of energy? was the Ninjan Queen. Hand Cocked picking up ridiculous speeds, the Queen sought to completly shatter Zeon's jaw with a energy packed haymaker.
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