Anima di Nerezza Chapter 4, Haste Options

[Sirin]

Anima di Nerezza
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Part 1-Names for faces

I stood in absolute darkness. Or, more correctly, I hovered in absolute darkness. I felt no ground, but nor had I any feelings of weightlessness. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, but I could see for miles in front of me. Mass confusion clouded my thoughts. Through my mental discord, however, a voice spoke.

“Mortal, you have done more than you know,” spoke Mehrunes Dagon. “By setting forth in a quest to restore balance to your precious little faction, you have embarked on a journey to rival the greatest of heroes, or the most notorious of villains. You have made me glad that I have restored the gift of life unto you. Continue to do so, and you will be granted many things.”

Feeling somewhat bold with the Daedra’s compliments at my back, I asked a question of the Daedra. “My lord, I have encountered several obstacles in my path, yet I know nothing about them. Can you tell me anything of them?”

As if thinking for a moment, the Daedra paused before he spoke again. “I know of these obstacles. The Redguard, be wary of him. You may never truly know of his allegiances. As for the mysterious woman whom you despise, she is… a servant of another. Sheogorath is her master.” Having satisfied my meager wishes, the voice of Dagon vanished, as did the darkness. When my vision cleared, I was still seated at the Leaping Lion, staring at my half-empty mug. The conversations still continued. Nothing seemed to have changed. But as I gazed into the dark liquid of my mug, my reflection showed something different.

My eyes: one red, another blue. I hoped that it was just the alcohol, but after staring for some time, I concluded that it was real. Ah, but another sign of the Daedra’s control of my life. Angry, but at the same time excited, I got up and left the tavern.

Can’t you see? He’s helping you. He has given you gift after gift, said one side of my mind.

No, what he’s given me is multicolored eyes! What help is that? said the other half.

People don’t have to see you eyes. You could wear a hooded robe all of the time, and no one would know the difference.

No, if I wore a hooded robe, someone might mistake me for the Thing, the servant of Sheogorath.

Plenty of people wear robes and cover their faces. She isn’t the only one.

Maybe… maybe you have a point. After finally ending the psychological warfare going on in my head, I walked over to the nearest clothier. The shop was a small, bright haven of clothing. The shop keeper was a short Imperial woman. The radiance of her blonde hair was only magnified by her ruby red lipstick.

No…no… it can’t be her… it isn’t! I stared for a moment at the lady, until the mirage faded into the actual shop keeper, who had brown hair and no make up whatsoever. I really needed to quit drinking.

“Are you alright, miss?” she asked worriedly. “You look… by the Nine! What’s wrong with your eyes?”

“Er… just a problem from when I was born,” I lied, and ducked my head. My face must have turned shades redder than the Thing’s lipstick, for I certainly felt humiliated. I hastily picked out a midnight blue robe, for they had no black, and took it to the keeper. I persisted in locking my eyes to the floor, but I could still feel her curious stare.

I dashed out of the store and ducked into a dark alley to put on my cloak. Pulling it on over my head, and consequently blinded, I was nigh helpless when the rough hands grabbed me. They picked me up, slung me over the shoulders that they were connected to, and took me into a vacant building.

I was rudely dropped on a table while the robe was ripped off from over my head. The face that hovered above me can only be described as hated. Despised, loathed, reviled. Anything would do the trick. But still, for a minute, words escaped me. The hands tied me to the table with strong ropes, and finally I yelled out.

“It’s you, the Thing!” I screamed with the anger rising in my voice.

“My, my, you could at least call me Maria,” said the Thing, or Maria, as she wished to be called. She raised a jagged dagger above her head without another word. As she curved it towards me, I found myself squeezing my eyes shut.

This post has been edited by Sirin: Mar 8 2006, 11:37 PM

[Sirin]

Many thanks to all who have stuck with me and kept reading my crap, regardless of what you really think of it. This chapter doesn't have as much action, but there has to be a boring one every now and then

Part 4- Acting the Part

She’s here to kill the same target as you, said the familiar voice in my head. She killed Dante Gallias, and now she’s here to kill Raziel. She was directly to my right when I leaped off of the roof. Landing silently behind the bloodsucker, I grabbed her blood red hair and slammed it through the display window of the smithy. She didn’t struggle as I jumped into the store and dragged her in.

“Don’t speak and there won’t be trouble,” I said to the frightened storekeeper. He nodded in agreement and cowered back to the nearest wall. I pulled Maria into a separate room and slammed the door shut. Dropping her crudely onto the floor, I pointed my dagger at her throat.

“What are you doing here? Are you out to kill someone?” I demanded, prepared to pin her to the floor, regardless of whether or not she would stay dead.

“I suppose I am, Dunmer. I was planning on having some fun first, though,” she replied in her usual seductive voice.

“Who are you going to kill, Maria?”

“Oh, just a mean old orc, if you must know. My, did you change somehow? Whatever you did, it certainly makes you look more luscious. I could drink you dry right now if you weren’t pointing that nasty blade at me.”

“Shut up, you depraved witch,” I screamed at the lip-licking vampire. I knew what she was talking about. I knew EXACTLY what she was talking about.

“Oh, now I see! Those eyes, they’re just gorgeous, Dunmer. They must… mean something.”

“How soon do you wish to die?” I seethed bitterly. I was quite honestly primed to answer that question for her.

“Ah, the eyes of Mehrunes Dagon’s little servant! That’s where I recognize them! The gaunt young girl and several others before you. I lived long enough to put significance to those eyes. So, you’re a puppet of Mehrunes now?” Once again the devil, Maria, licked her lips in delight.

“And you,” I spoke out of hatred, “are the servant of Sheogorath. You are an insane harlot.”

“That is what I am,” she exclaimed with sarcastic pride. “An insane harlot. Doesn’t that just fit me? Well, things are interesting again. Two servants of Daedra in eternal conflict.”

“Not quite, Maria. When I learn how to kill you for good, I will never have to worry about you again. This I promise you.” Finally ending this infuriating rant from the vampire, I kicked her head with rage driven force. Her eyes fluttered closed, and I undressed the unconscious one.

She bore some rather… interesting clothing, to make a vast understatement. I realized why she wore the cloak that she did, for otherwise, she would certainly die of cold. I felt strange wearing her rather revealing clothing, but I consoled myself with the notion that tonight’s murder would make up for the inconvenience. I left the room after pulling my own cloak over my shoulders and warned the shopkeeper to stay out of the other room. He nodded again, too terrified for speech.

I broke out into the fresh night air, feeling that I had been cleansed from a disease. I walked toward the castle briskly, anxious to carry on with my mission. Upon approaching the castle gates, I was stopped by a bored looking guard. The Imperial man halted me with an outstretched hand, and slowly eyed me from bottom to top. I was disgusted by his conduct, but I decided it would be for the best to give him a show. To act out my part, one might say.

I placed one hand on my waist, and posed rather suggestively. I was surprised at my own behavior, but reasoned that it was the sign of a good liar. Such things would help me in my extensive work.

“I’m afraid you can’t go inside, ma’am,” he barely choked out. I knew he would let me in. I would make him let me in.

“Don’t worry about anything, sir. I have an appointment. With Raziel, your boss,” I purred. It is interesting how men could be so easily swayed with the various tones of voice. Hoping to completely shape his mind to MY will, I moved in closer and threw my other arm around his shoulder. Looking him boldly in the eye, I whispered, “I could repay you later tonight if you let me in.”

He was all mine. He knew what I meant, though I didn’t really mean it. In fact, he couldn’t have opened the gates faster. I did my job well. With a final word of false gratitude, I slipped into the castle’s courtyard. It was silent, and with good reason. The gate would keep out most resistance. However, I had been warned to expect heavy resistance. It was haunting to only encounter silence and darkness. When I arrived at the front door unabated, I stepped inside the castle.

This post has been edited by Sirin: Mar 15 2006, 01:35 AM