Redemption

[color=red][size=1]A cold wind whipped through Malik's hair as he watched one of his favourite castles being rocked to its foundations by one of his children. He snarled, bearing his elongated fangs. " Ironic.... that Kalei would have my children.... and that she would use them against me in this war..... it is no small matter that she decided to neglect to tell them that I was their father...." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the helicopter that the Wakanda had boarded, fly off towards England. " Yes.... to the Manor.... that's right... I remember that place all too well now...." As the helicopter grew out of sight, Malik waited for some of his underlings to return to his side. Noals and Phineas appeared out of the darkness beside him, one on knee, their heads bowed. " My Lord....." Phineas started. " Enough. I've had enough explanations for one night," Malik commanded firmly. He turned to them, their heads still bowed. " It seems that Kalei has decided to use my own children against me." " Children, my Lord?" Noals asked quietly. " Yes... children.... you see, tonight I found out that those Wakanda twins are actually my own flesh and blood, as well as Kalei's." His red eyes flashed with wrathful intent as his mind worked over his plan. " Those twins?" Noals said quietly, " You mean the two with eyes like us...." " Precisely," Malik replied. He turned away from them, looking at the runed castle below. " The boy seems to have his vampiric powers in check, but the girl......" A smile crossed his lips. " .... the girl seems to have not realised what potential she has...." He turned to the two. " We are returning to the fortress in the Alps. Phineas, you are to gather our forces and spread them throughout Europe in our fortresses. Noals, join him in this task. When you have completed this task, I will summon you for a more..... interesting task." " Yes my Lord..." the two vampires said together. [center]============================[/center] A roaring fire greeted Malik on his return to his main fortress in the Swiss Alps. The cold snow and howling wind made the fire welcoming and warming. Two waiters bowed their Lord in as they opened the doors for his arrival. Noals and Phineas had followed Malik in, but as soon as they entered, they rushed off to do their tasks. Malik took off his coat and gave it to one of the waiters before heading towards his chambers. This plan would need to be perfect if the desired result were to be accomplished. Opening the giant wooden doors to his chambers, Malik gracefully sat down in a large backed seat. He looked at a painting he had owned for quite some time. The epic tale of Romeo and Juliet. It seemed rather ironic now at how he had kept that painting, when he despised the very existence of that story. A commanding vampire officer was sent into Malik's room to report that he was there for the making of Malik's plan. Malik stood and smiled a sninister smile. [b]Kalei.... I hope I cause you as much pain as you have caused me.... dear Wakanda![/b][/color][/size]

[color=#6600cc][size=1][b]Thursday - Evening - Near the Park[/b] Alex watched Sammy walk away from the two of them. [b]Lying huh?[/b] " Leah, hang on a sec. Stay here ok, then we'll walk home," he said to her. She nodded and sat down on a nearby bench. Alex turned in the direction of Sammy. " Hey! Wait up a sec!" he yelled. Sammy turned around to see who called him. Alex ran up to him. " What do you want?" Sammy growled. " Whoa man! Hold up on the hostility," Alex said, holding up his hands in defense, " I just wanted to say that Leah and I aren't an item, like you and B aren't one either. We only started to get close today. Again, like you and B, only a couple of hours ago. So don't go all Nazi on me or her. I know she's a bit emotional but just ease up on her. I want this to end as much as you do. Oh, and I'm not blaming you for anything either." " ....Right...." With that, Sammy walked away, mulling over what Alex had said. Sighing, Alex walked back to Leah. He wondered why she was all hostile over this. Yeah, the guy lied, but did he lead her on or something? Alex ruffled his black spiky hair, trying to think of the solution. [b]Girls.... you just can't pick what emotion they're going to have next..... some one needs to make a manual for them, so we actually know what's going on....[/b] Night was falling and the cicadas were making their usual nightly song. Mosquitoes were out and around, looking for a meal. The street lights of Timber Valley flickered on as Leah and Alex made their way home. They didn't talk much. Alex didn't want to say anything to upset her further, but his silence was probably making her more angry. He just didn't know what to do. They were on the bus, half way on their journey home, when Alex tentatively broke the silence. " So.... ah.... you're going to come to the dance with me.... right?" he asked, a little hopefully. Leah gave a weak smile at him. " Of course.... why wouldn't you think that?" " Just.... today... those things that happened." Alex didn't want to say specifics. " ...Oh....." " Just me being stupid. Don't worry. So, what are you going to wear?" Leah giggled. " You're not supposed to ask a girl that. It's a surprise." " Damn...... I was hoping you could go in those bikinis of yours," he said with a wink. This time, Leah laughed out loud. " You're a true Aussie male all right." Alex strugged his shoulders. " I try my best." The bus halted at their stop. Leah and Alex departed the vehicle and made their way up the suburban street to their homes. But before they got there, Alex stopped Leah around the corner from their house. " Look... uh.... I just wanted to say this before we got home..... I know I must sound like an ass for asking this now, but.... uh.... I know I like you and all.... god, I feel stupid asking this.... but, could we kinda... take this slow? I sound like an idiot huh?" Leah shook her head, smiling a little. " No... I don't mind..." Alex looked at her seriously now, his blue eyes glittering. " I just don't want to hurt you, you know.... because of today....." " Yeah.... I understand...." Leah said, looking down to the ground. Alex sighed with relief and gave her a soft hug. " Thanks. I just didn't want to say in case your mum heard. I just don't want her to go all Nazi on me, that's all." Leah laughed. " Yeah.... I didn't think about how'd she react..." " Yeah, me going out with the girl next door... sounds so cliche, it's not funny." " Well.... night Alex..." " Night Leah." He gave her a small kiss on the cheek before they headed towards their separate homes. Alex took out his house key and let himself in. Switching on the lights, he dumped his surfboard and his school bag on the sofa before taking a shower and starting to cook dinner. As the pasta boiled away, Alex sat down in his boxers and thought about the dance tomorrow. He was no good with clothes. " I think I'll have to ask Leah if she can come over and help me out. I wonder if her mum will let her, if she tells her we're going to be going together to the dance. Heh. And I must ask her what her favourite flower is."[/color][/size]

[color=red][size=1]The two women fawned over Kashi as they rode in the back-seat of his car. Leila had that smile of pure esctasy cross her lips as she watched the females' hands touch Kashi as he was driving. They had gone in with the cover of being partners that were looking for some fun. These two women seemed more than happy to oblige. They seemed to have taken to Kashi very well. It was almost sickening at how human women fawned over handsome men, even if they weren't their species. " This should be quite fun Leila," Kashi said, " With these two beautiful ladies, it should be quite interesting, wouldn't you say?" The two young women giggled in the back. Leila smiled over at Kashi. " Of course it will my dear Kashi-kun. Why wouldn't it be? You always wanted to see what it was like with lots of women around you." Kashi noted there was a hint of sarcasm in the remark. Leila smiled at him smugly. He gave her a coy look. " And if that's such a crime dear Leila-chan." He parked his car out the front of their hotel. Before they went in, Leila and Kashi decided to rent a different room just for this, so they didn't interupt Keitha or Kashi's underling in their blood lust. Getting the key, Kashi and Leila led the two women into the elevator and up into their new room. The two women seemed to want Kashi all to themselves. Leila didn't mind. She wanted their blood, not their bodies. Once they arrived at the room, Leila opened the door and let the thre go in ahead of her. He stomach growled. She could feel the bloodlust course through her veins. It was like an itch that wanted to be scratched. [b]Soon.... soon I will drink...[/b] Kashi took the two girls into the master bedroom, making them feel as though they were safe. A few moments later and Leila entered the room. Kashi had the two women undressed and lying on the bed next to each other. He was standing at the end of the bed, fully clothed. He looked at Leila with a sly smile on his face. " Don't they look beautiful?" he said, smiling. In truth, he was meaning the blood. Leila nodded. " It's a treat indeed," she said. Kashi and herself leant over the women and went to 'kiss' the womens' necks. The women leant their head out of the way to feel their necks being pierced by teeth. The two wanted to scream but hands over their mouths prevented that. Leila drank and drank, gulping down the fresh young blood. Dribbles of it drooled from her mouth. " That was good." She looked over at Kashi who finished his meal. He had dribbles of blood oozing down his lips. She walked over to him and licked the blood off his lips. " Quite a satisfying meal, wasn't it?"[/color][/size]

[color=#6600cc][size=1][b]Thursday - Afternoon - Beach[/b] Alex smiled deviously at Leah. " Now now, that kiss won't do my reputation any good. Aren't I supposed to be a playboy, or so I've heard?" " A playboy?" Leah asked, confused. " Well, apparently, I've been going out with heaps of girls and dumping them as soon as I find a better one." " You? Going out with a heap of girls?" Alex could see a little jealousy in her eyes. He laughed. " No need to get jealous Leah. You know perfectly well that I haven't had a girlfriend since the 8th grade. Not that I haven't had my fair share of offers." The ripples of waves lolled them around, Alex with his chest to the surfboard, Leah hanging onto it. The sun's heat was hot, even in the water. " So, are you going to ask or what?" Leah questioned coyly. " Hmm... maybe..." Alex replied, trying to sound off-handed, " Maybe I already know what the answer is. Unless, of course, Sammy has already asked you to go."[/color][/size]

[color=DarkGreen][size=1]Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Those words comforted her only but a little. It was what she had wanted to hear ever since she began feeling attracted to him, but it didn't give her the comfort she was seeking for. For her to feel at peace, he would have to be true to his word, and stay at her side. Pulling the sheets off herself, Raven made her way into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her softly, her green hair running over her shoulders. She saw a fresh pair of clothes beside the sink. The hospital staff must have been kind enough to find something for her. Taking off the horrible hospital gown, Raven mindlessly pulled on her underwear and bra, then her jeans and then her shirt. she automatically sort for her gun holster only to find it wasn't there. Sighing, she looked at herself in the mirror. Some of Rubedo's words rang true with her as well. About their purpose. She was starting to wonder whether this was just a game - a game using human and immortal lives alike - or if it really was a war? " What is our purpose? What is a Zodiac's purpose? We're supposed to be the balance. But when the sides change, when good turns to evil, or evil turns to good, or there is no good and evil, only grey area, whose to say who lives or dies? We're supposed to be the balance. But what exactly are we supposed to balance out?" Straightening up her hair, Raven walked back out into her room. Rubedo was still sitting on the chair beside the table. It felt so strange having him near her, like it was really just a dream. Like he was just an illusion that Zane had made up. But she knew he was here. She walked over to the flowers, stroking them with a light finger. " Where are the others?" she asked softly. " They've gone to interview Reoan," Rubedo replied, standing up. " Interview?" " Reoan has agreed to answer their questions. Kariz has decided to take it upon herself and you other Zodiac to choose who is in the right and wrong." " Right." Rubedo came up behind her. Raven's skin tingled with how close he was to her. It was almost unbearable to be this close to him, without touching him. All she wanted was to feel his warmth, but she had to steel herself and wait to see if his words were true, or not.[/color][/size] OOC: Kairi, you can take Rubedo and Raven and find the others if that is what you desire.

[color=red][size=1]Moving around in the back of the taxi, Leila watched Keitha look increasingly more and more uncomfortable. Kashi sat in the front with his underling driving, although Leila noticed that he would glance at her, then at Keitha in a small rear view mirror above him. It would be another couple of hours before the sun would rise. Leila was also beginning to feel a little hungry. She had not had a meal for quite some time. Maybe she would find some innocent young thing to satisfy her hunger. And maybe Kashi would be so nice and help her out. A devious smile crossed her luscious lips. The taxi slowed down and turned into a rather expensive looking hotel. The driver got out and opene the door for Keitha, who got out and went straight into the lobby. Kashi got out and opened Leila's door for her. She got out gracefully and smiled her thanks. The driver went to the trunk and gathered their luggage. As they entered the hotel lobby, Keitha came to them, having already checked in. She and the driver went up to the room in one elevator while Leila and Kashi waited for the other. They stepped into it as the door opened and pressed the button for their floor. The doors shut and the elevator started going up. " Oh Kashi?" Leila asked, that devious smile still upon her face. " Yes Leila?" Kashi answered. She turned to him and pressed her body up against him. Her finger traced his lips and took what was left of his last meal off his lips, sucking it off her finger in front of his face. Kashi looked at her with wide eyes. Her cold green eyes sparkled like emeralds. " Now be good Kashi and don't provoke Keitha with your displays of affection towards me. She has near no tolerance of men who are weak for women." The bell rang to signal that they had reached their floor. She gave him a soft kiss on the lips before exiting the elevator as if nothing had happened. Kashi followed, a little agitated at Leila. He hated how she teased him. Leila knocked on the door of their room. Keitha answered it with a smile to Leila and a scowl for Kashi. The two vampires entered the room, a loud snap echoing from inside Leila's kimono. They were in one of the top floors of the hotel, overlooking the beautiful Italian city. Leila walked over to the balcony, opening the door to allow herself to step outside. A beautiful cool breeze whipped through her long cream-blonde hair. Her kimono fluttered in the wind slightly. Then, something caught her eye. A sphere of blue appeared on top of one of the nearby buildings. Her eyes sharpened. Two figures seemed to have appeared out of the sphere as it faded into the night's darkness. " Hmm...." Leila wondered. She saw them converse with each other before leaving the vicinty of the building. Leila quickly withdrew a piece of paper from a pocket in her kimono and made an origami crane. There was a message written in blood on it. As she blew on it, it fluttered out of her hands and pursued the two she had seen materalise out of the sphere. " Are they friend or foe.... hmm... things could get interesting." Turning around, Leila found herself face-to-face with Kashi. He hadn't seen the two materalise out of the sphere. Her stomach growled softly. She laughed and looked down at her body. " Well... I think that's a signal that I need to have a good drink..." she said, setting her eyes on Kashi.[/color][/size] OOC: Tag Rosenrot. And there you go Kairi.

[color=#6600cc][size=1][b]Thursday - Afternoon - Surf Val[/b] Puffing slightly, Alex entered through the doors of the surfing/wind surfing shop [i]Surf Val[/i]. Jordan looked to see who it was, and gave a smile when he saw Alex enter the shop. " Bout time you showed up Alex." " Busy day huh?" Alex said, going behind the counter, his surfboard in his arms. There were a few customers wandering around the shop, looking at the merchandise. In the back room, Alex changed his school shirt to his [i]Surf Val[/i] shirt. He came back out to the counter to serve a customer. Alex finished with his customer when Leah entered the shop. He smiled and walked up to her. " So, how's it going?" he asked. " Not bad. Busy today?" Leah said, looking at all the people browsing around. " Not really. More sticky-beaks than anything. Can you wait a sec? I'll go see Jordan if I can go for a surf. The conditions are really good today." " Sure." Alex rushed off and came back with a huge grin and his surf board under his arm. " He gave me an hour. I'm a lucky man." Leah smiled. " You are very lucky." " So lets go." The two walked out of building and headed down to the beach, which was only a few minutes' walk. The Australian sun beat down upon them. It was still fairly hot in the afternoon - a perfect temperature to go for a swim. As soon as they got there, the two saw that the patrolled section of the beach was packed. It was normal on such a hot day like this. Seeing how crowded it was, they made their way up the beach towards another patrolled section, but a little less known. Alex put down his surfboard and took off his shirt to expose his muscular body. " So, are you going to have a swim? I'd really like to see you in a pair of bikinis or a nice one-piece." He gave Leah a wink before he picked up his surfboard and headed towards the surf. " Come on Leah! The water's great!" he yelled back at her as he entered the salty surf.[/color][/size]

[color=Navy][size=1]Zane was furious.... so furious that Ima and Kariz could see illsuiosn warp about them as they walked hastily up the street. " Zane..." Kariz growled warningly. He looked at her and she quickly took a step back. His eyes... his pupils were bare slits. It unnerved Kariz as she peered into those deep ocean blue eyes. Ima looked at them both. " Yes Kariz?" he growled. Even his tone of voice was unnerving. She had never seen him like this before, not even before the incident two years ago. He had never got the chance to become this infuriated. " Calm down... for the sake of all of us... you're making illusions warp," Kariz informed him. Zane gave a short nod and closed his eyes for a second. The illusions disappeared and Zane opened his eyes again, looking at Ima and then at Kariz. " Lets find Reoan, and get this war over and done with."[/color][/size] [center]======================[/center] [color=DarkGreen][size=1]Healing.... She could feel it in every inch of her body. Muscles sewing back together, bones mending, everything was going back to normal. Raven could begin to feel the warmth of his hand touching her. Her heart fluttered. Her eyes wandered to the flowers. So delicate and pure. Green hair tumbled over her shoulders as she began to sit up, feeling her body mend completely under the Guardian's influence. " The flowers are beautiful...." she whispered softly, not looking at him, but at the white sheets of the hospital bed. Rubedo didn't smile or show any emotion. Raven gave him a quick glance before looking back at the bedsheets. It was a rather awkward moment. She had no idea what to say or to do. Like always, he'd show up out of nowhere, and she was almost certain he would disappea again just as quickly. " You aren't a hallucination are you?" she asked softly. Rubedo shook his head. " No." " Zane didn't make you up just so I would feel better?" " No." Raven grew quiet. She should have known better then to ask questions like that. Zane didn't know that her favourite flowers wee white oriental lilies. She couldn't even remember telling Rubedo that, but she must have in the past somewhere. " Appearing and disappearing..... a Guardian's life I suppose...." Raven said quietly to no one in particular. Rubedo looked at her with a serious expression on her face. " I'm not going to disappear anymore." " You told me you would come back. You didn't see how those bastards slaughtered everyone - how easily we were overcome by them. They killed them with such ease, it made me sick." Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered that fateful day. Rubedo looked at her. He could see the pain in her mind, in her eyes. " Why did you come back Rubedo......" she asked finally, tears rolling down her cheeks.[/color][/size]

[color=#CC0099][size=1]Nothing.... That was all Katima could feel. Her total world was covered in darkness. All she felt was confusion, hurt and loneliness. Kalei and Malik's words ran through her head over and over again likea broken record player. The scene kept replaying like it was on repeat. [i]They're your children..... they're your children....... they're your children.....[/i] [b]No.... no..... that's not true....[/b] Katima thought. [b]It can't be.... it's not possible.... Malik.... a vampire... my father?[/b] She could feel herself shake her head and the distant noises of what was happening around her buzzing in her ears. She could hear Kalei's voice the clearest. Something about Tegan. [b]Tegan....[/b] Memories of when they were children flashed in and out of her mind in quick succession. It [u]was[/u] possible. She remembered Kalei telling them about their eyes - how it was a family trait. Katima now understood. Tegan had maybe mastered his vampire side during his time away, but she.... she hadn't. That's why his eyes were permanently read. Or was it because he favoured his vampire side more? [b]Tegan.... where are you.... I need you....[/b] Katima shivered - not from the cold, but from the feeling of being totally and utterly alone. She could still hear Kalei's voice. She was pleading for Tegan to stop.... but what? What was she trying to stop? All of the sudden, everything became clear. Her vision cleared. Katima could see what was happening, exactly what was happening. She could see Ena and Sin near her. Quickly looking around, she spotted Kalei trying to shake Tegan out of something. Then, as if a huge hammer had hit the side of her head, Katima screamed. Kalei whirled around to look at her. " Stop it!" Katima screamed. " STOP IT!" Scrambling up to her feet, Katima ran over to Tegan and hugged him from behind, tears flowing out of her eyes. " ENOUGH TEGAN!! THAT'S ENOUGH! NO MORE.... please.... no more...."[/color][/size] OOC: Will do Malik's part later.

[size=1][color=#6633ff]Kei smiled her thanks to Alex as she gratefully took the jumper from him and wrapped it around herself. The chill was quite unnerving. It was as sudden as the mist coming in. The whole environment felt mystical... even magical. Kei felt a strange sensation running through her veins as Leo said his part. Her mind wandered back to how she made the knight's sword shatter and the memory of her controlling lightning and fire raining from the sky, and the earth underneath the feet of the enemy. She had even felt old, but so powerful... wise and powerful. " Merlin...." she whispered softly, without any knowledge of what she was doing. Alex heard her. " Merlin? You mean the wizard from the myth of Camelot?" he asked her. Kei looked up at him and nodded slowly. " Yes... Merlin.... I can associate to him... the most." " What do you mean?" Alex replied. " He was a master of magics, so the legend is told. He knew most and tried to guide Arthur in the right direction, as well as the Round Table. A wizard with power and wisdom. I don't know why, but I feel.... I feel I could connect with his character the most." " Such a powerful entity..." Alex trailed off. " I don't feel powerful, or wise. But... ever since I was a child, I had always felt something inside was old, or had already experienced the woes and triumphs of life. It guided me through my life to become what I am.... could.... could it be that I share a soul?" Kei wondered. " That sounds completely ludicrous," Alex said, " But, I can agree to that somewhat." Kei shivered. It wasn't like her to feel this way - insecure and in unfamilar territory. The boat ride was nearly finished. The other bank was in sight - and with that mysterious mist surrounding it.[/color][/size]

[color=blue][size=1]Can someone make me a Yuna and Tidus banner/avi set? Ii'm giving you free reign with the design. All I want is my username on the avi and the words "Some people were meant to be together" on the banner. If you could, that would be great. Thanks![/color][/size]

[color=red][size=1]Leila watched Keitha go off in the direction of Gates 1-20. The Fan Maiden could sense other vampires, powerful ones, around her. All of them glided in and out of society like ghosts. They had been trained well. Looking wistfully Keitha, Leila proceeded down to the baggage claim area where some of her accompanying companions picked up her luggage for her. She looked around, noticing many people staring at her and her kimono. [i]Foreigners....[/i] she thought. " Hmm, Leila. Glad to see you. Ain't got a hug for your friend Kashi?" a male voice came from behind her. A silver-haired man with blood red-silver eyes. Leila smiled. " Depends if he's going to be nice to me on this trip," she replied coyly, a loud metallic snap heard from within her kimono. Kashi looked a little disappointed. " Now now, why would I do that? I'll be a perfect gentleman." Leila looked at him doubtfully. " A perfect gentleman huh? Well, that means none of your little female feasts hanging around you while either myself or Keitha is here." " Very well. I have no problem with that." Leila arched an eyebrow. " And no meals without us. Like you did just before you came to meet us." " How did you know that?" Kashi asked, looking a little surprised. Leila uses her finge to wipe a bit of blood off of his lip and sucking off her finger. Kashi did not look impressed. Leila laughed. " Now, shall we go? Keitha will be rejoining me at the hotel," Leila said, waiting for Kashi to be the perfect gentleman he was supposing he was going to be.[/color][/size]

[color=#6600cc][size=1][b]Thursday - Afternoon last class[/b] " Can... I ask you something?" Alex asked quietly, sounding a little edgy. He watched Leah nod and bookmark her page. " Well, I was wondering, if you've noticed all these romances around here? it's a little creepy how everyone is having little accidents with their crush." He could see Leah's face fall a little, but immediately brightened up. " Yeah.... it's a little strange. But you can't keep a secret forever I guess." " Hmm...." Secrets.... Alex knew all to well about them. No one knew at school that his parents died in a plane crash when he was 9, in primary school. Nor that he had been living by himself since then. He was jealous of Leah for having her mum still alive. The thing was, he could barely remember his parents. Before they died, they used to leave him with a babysitter all the time. It was lucky that the babysitter was a nice person, and taught Alex who he is today. He knew what it felt like to be alone. Shaking his head, Alex pushed those memories away and smiled at Leah. " So what are you doing after school? Hanging out with the girls I suppose?" " I don't know really. What about you?" " I've got to work at Surf Val. You know, make a living so I can survive." " Are you going to surf this afternoon?" " Thinking about it. Depends on the conditions when I get down to Work. Jordan might let me take a half hour break to have a surf if it's good." " Mr Jacobs!" the teacher scolded. " Silent Reading! Does that mean anything to you?" Alex turned around and flashed a smile. " Oh course it doesn't sir. You expect a boy my age to keep quiet with all these pretty girls around?" The class sniggered and the teacher pursed his lips. " That's enough Mr Jacobs otherwise you'll make a trip to the principal." " Remind me to take that bottle of scotch with me, sir," Alex answered before burying himself in a book, leaning back on his chair.[/color][/size]

[color=red][size=1]SlowChemical, I know what you mean about hard to keep up. Everyone posts so much and so often. But its good. And Citrus, sorry about the late arrival. @_@[/color][/size]

OOC: And here I thought we were all in Multi-Strand Science. Citrus, I think you would agree with me that we will be all in the same classes from now on. And the post quality has improved. Thank you. Oh, and sorry about this extremely late intro post. Lets get this thing moving. ^_^ [color=#6600cc][size=1][b]Thursday - Afternoon class[/b] There was a loud sharp knock on the door. The teacher looked towards the door, clicking his tongue in disapproval for the interruption. " Come in," he said rather gruffly. The door opened. Leah looked up to see Alex, her crush, standing in the doorway, looking a little pale. His longish black ahir brushed around his head as he walked in. " Alex Jacobs, good of you to finally join us at the end of the day." Alex flashed a devious smile. " Sorry sir. I was rather sick this morning, so I thought I'd stay home. But I knew I just couldn't miss our Multi-Strand lesson." The teacher's eyes narrowed. " Enough of your sarcasm, but it does look like you are sick, so quickly take your seat." " Thanks sir." Alex saw Leah look up at him from handing a note to Sammy. He gave her a warm smile before talking the seat behind her. His amazing 2-shaded ice blue eyes wandered across her back. The lesson continued on for another couple of minutes before the bell for the change of class. Everyone rose from the class and moved out of the room to English. While they were walking to the next class, Alex went up and started talking to Leah. " Sorry I bailed out on you this morning. Wasn't feeling too great," he apologised. " Don't worry about it. But you are ok, aren't you?" Leah asked. Alex could hear the concern in her voice. He smiled. " I'm here aren't I? If I wasn't feeling too good, do you think I'd be here of all places?" Leah laughed. " You'd be down the beach surfing if you were feeling sick, rather then in bed, like you should be." Alex smiled. She knew him too well. " Anyway, I saw those posters with the school dance advertised on it. Who are you going to ask?"[/color][/size] OOC: Tag Citrus. And I hope you don't mind us moving to English.

[size=1][color=#6633ff]As the group trudged back to the boat, a thought came over Kei's mind. [b]How did I know what the knight was saying?[/b] She had never heard that language before, nor had she ever heard of it. It was like a cross of Old Gaelic and maybe the ancient Gaul language. It certainly had some certain syllable similarities. But what was the strangest thing was that Kei noticed the coat of arms on the knight's shield. It would have been dated to the early Dark Ages - around the time when the myth of Camelot came into existence. " Strange...." Kei mumbled. " What's strange?" Alex asked. " On the knight's coat of arms, the symbols would have been dated to the early Dark Ages, which was when the first appearance of the Camelot myth was documented. By word of mouth of course. But even stranger, is the actual coat of arms. It is exactly how the myth described the coat of arms of Arthur, the King of Camelot." " That is strange. Could it be a coincidence?" Kei shook her head. " There's too much evidence in collaboration with each other to suggest more of coincidence. Could these events... be linked? Who is the Lady that the knight spoke of? There was the Lady of the Lake in the Camelot myth." Alex laughed. " Kei, I think you're thinking too much. Relax. Maybe this Lady is a noble around here, inviting us to something." Kei gave Alex a disapproving look. " Oh please, who knows of nobles around here?" " Anything's possible," Alex replied. [b]Yes.... anything is posible....[/b] The mist had cleared and now the team could see the lake, shimmering beautifully under the boat as they approached it. Kei looked over to the other side of the lake, the one they were to be travelling to. In the distance, she could make out a castle on the side of the lake, the ruins of a great fortress against the mountains that rose from the other bank of the lake. All of the sudden, a flash of memory went through her mind's eyes. She stumbled a bit, Alex catching her. " Kei... Kei, what's the matter?" She put her hand to her forehead. " That castle..... I remember.... being on top of the highest tower. Fire rained from the sky. I could control exactly where it hit..... " She cringed as she tried to remember what she saw. " I felt like I was as powerful as a god, controlling the fire, the lightning of the storm above, the earth underneath the attacker's feet." Alex looked at her concerned as she straightened up a little. " Was that a memory? Or was that your imagination?" She looked at him with an innocent look, her amazing blue eyes surveying the feeling the purest. " It was a memory...... it couldn't have been...... how is that possible?" " I'm beginning to think anything is possible since this morning," Alex said.[/color][/size]

[color=Navy][size=1]Zane looked Asariel and Jacob before turning and taking Kariz and Ima by the arms towards the hospital. The words of Reoan's warning rang in his ears hard and hurting. What the hell had happened? Kariz had not completely surprised him with the questions she asked Reoan, but Reoan's reaction was much more shocking. He had highly doubted that Reoan would have ever let them ask her the questions they wanted to find out. It seemed to him... a little strange. He certainly didn't expect it. As they got down the street more, Kariz wrenched her arm from his grip. She looked at him with almost daggers in her eyes. " Why did you do that?" she snarled. " Didn't you hear her Kariz? She said something happened to Raven." " SO? I wanted to question her!" " So you don't think it's fair if Raven dies while you question her, while we could be perfectly capable of helping her?" At that comment Kariz fell silent. Zane looked at her, concerned, before leading on to the nearest hospital. They received information that Raven wasn't in this hospital but in another hospital a few miles away. They made their way there. By the time they arrived there, the clouds had parted and the sun was setting blazing red. They entered the hospital to see Rubedo sitting in the waiting room, covered in blood, reading a newspaper, acting like he was normal. If Zane were a dog right then, his hackles would have been raised and he would have mauled Rubedo to death. He stalked up to Rubedo, talking the Guardian by the scruff, hoisting him in the air. " You...." Rubedo looked back at him with emotionless eyes. " Zane.... Zodiac Pisces." " Where's Raven?" Zane snarled. " She's in surgery," Rubedo said clamly. " What the hell happened?! Zane demanded to know. " Zane!" Kariz shouted and pulled Zane away from Rubedo. She looked at Rubedo and was struck dumb. " Rubedo...." Rubedo looked from Kariz to Ima, who stood next to Kariz, looking at Rubedo if she knew him but couldn't quite remember who he was. He looked back to Zane. He could see a great fury in his eyes. Zane must of stayed with Raven over these two years. He must of seen her change - and it was because of him. " She's changed...." Rubedo said. " It's because of you she's like this..." Zane snarled. Rubedo looked Zane squarely in the eyes. " I do not doubt that it is because of me she has changed. But I left her for a reason, and there is a reason why I haven't contacted her these past years." " Reason..." Zane started to laugh. " Whatever that reason may be, you should keep away from her. You've caused her enough pain." " I came back to her because she needed me.... and you were occupied by Reoan." Zane had had enough. He threw a punch which conneted with Rubedo's cheek. The Guardian's head flicked to the side and stayed there. Zane recoiled his hand back. " If that hurt, just think of it one hundred fold, and that had been the pain Raven has endured these past two years."[/color][/size] [center]==================================[/center] [color=DarkGreen][size=1]A white ceiling. Yes... a white ceiling. Raven recognised the white ceiling to be one of a hospital's. She very slowly turned her head to the side to see a bunch of flowers - white oriental lillies. They were her favourites. But who.... She slowly turned her head the other way to see someone's back in the door. Someone she hadn't seen for a very long time. Although it had been two years since she had seen him, she knew who it was. He seemed to have freezed in the doorway when he sensed she was awake. He turned to look at her. That red hair.... thos emotionless eyes.... why was she so attracted to him? What made her love this person who couldn't love her back? One thought went through her mind as she saw his back in the doorway, a little more clearly now. " Leaving me again, are we?"[/color][/size]

[color=red][size=1]Soft puffs of dust sprang up around Keitha's feet as she walked the dusty halls of the Gyshram palace. It was dark and eerie. Keitha's shadowns surrouded her as she walked the halls alone. She was readying herself for her trip to see Kuroichi. And her good friend Leila would be going with her. It would be interesting. " So.... our Lord wants us to go see Kuroichi...." Leila's soft but enticing voice came out of the darkness from a corridor to Keitha's left. Keitha turned her attention to Leila. She was in her traditional white and red kimono, her cream-blonde hair falling over her shoulders. Keitha smiled. " Yes he does. You're coming like that? Don't you dress in any normal clothes?" Leila shot Keitha a devious smile. " Of course I do. But I prefer this when around the palace. I'll change and meet you at the plane, the sun is going to rise soon." Keitha nodded and they went their separate ways. [center]=============================[/center] An hour later, Keitha and Leila met up to get on the plane. They talked amongst each other, most of the subject serious. Keitha complained again about the lack of privacy that their Lord and Lady showed to her. Leila stiffled a laugh, now dressed in a cream holter-neck with dark red and black pants with a red leather waist-length coat. As the sun rose, the windows were closed, making it dark. It would take quiet a while to arive where Kuroichi was. They just had to bide their time til then. They would have to hunt when they got there.[/color][/size] OOC: Sorry about crappy post.

[color=#CC0099][size=1]Those words kept repeating in her head as she slumped to the floor. [i]They're your children. They're your children. They're your children.[/i] Katima's unfocused pink-red eyes looked up at Malik and Kalei. Malik gripped Kalei roughly by the shoulders, his red eyes piercing and unforgiving. He gave a quick glance to the girl who was slumped against the wall, seeing her in a different way now. That... was his own flesh and blood. His eyes came back to the woman he had made love to, to make what sat over against the wall. At first, he didn't know what to say to Kalei. But his anger and wrath grew. " How is this possible..... the Vampire Lord... and the Wakanda leader..... half-breeds..... two of them." Kalei looked up at the Vampire Lord. " No matter how you think... they are still your children." Malik growled. He roughly let go of Kalei and walked over to Katima who looked up at him, dazed and shocked. He crouched in front of her, taking her chin in his hand roughly. He inspected her before letting her go and turning to Kalei. " You have to be mistaken. These two cannot be my children. They are weak. Especially the girl." The fortress then rocked with an unnatural force. Kalei looked around, sensing this was Tegan's doing. She dashed forward to Katima, helping to her feet. Malik whirled around to find a huge chunk of the ceiling had fallen between him and the two Wakanda. He growled and punched the rock, it flying backwards and bl;asting to smithereens. When the dust had settled a bit, he found no trace of the two Wakanda. " Kalei.... we'll be continuing this discussion some other time," the Vampire Lord growled. [center]==========================[/center] Kalei and Katima had made it out into the hall when they had run into Sin. Sin looked down at the two. " What happened?" he asked gruffly, noticing Katima's distant persona. " Never mind that," Kalei said urgently, " We have to get out of here. Now. It's about to collapse." " Right," Sin said. He took Katima in his arms easily then he and Kalei started to sprint down the hall, urgently needing to find an exit.[/color][/size]

[size=1]I'll be coming onboard as soon as possible. So don't die on me :P[/color]

[size=1][color=#6600cc]Sorry I haven't posted. 3 pages already! My gosh![/color][/size]

OOC: Sorry about not posting. It's impossible to get on here at home. And how goes Angelus's comp DC? [color=#CC0099][size=1]Katima whirled around at the commotion of the door being opened. Malik strode through the now open doorway, looking around quickly for the two who were sitting on the floor. He strode over, a smile on his face. Katima looked to Tegan, who looked back at her with concern. [color=red]" Isn't this lovely? The brother and sister seemed to have made up,"[/color] Malik said softly, still smiling. Katima whirled around the best she could so that she could face the vampire Lord. " What do you want?" she hissed. Tegan softly grabbed her on the arm, warning her not to push the vampire's temper. Malik gave them both a sweet smile. " It seems your friends have escaped from the dungeon. And that one of your precious comrades seemed to have changed sides, or so am I told." The last sentence hit Katima in the stomach like a lump of lead. [i]No... Talyn.... already?! I'm... I'm supposed to be there to stop him.... to... live up to the promise I made him.... I must....[/i] Warm tears started to well in her eyes. She couldn't believe Talyn turned so fast. Tegan was as shocked as Katima, however, he kept his composure. He looked up at the vampire Lord. " So, Talyn is here?" Tegan asked. " Indeed he is," Malik replied. " He's aiding in the recapture of your comades." Tegan grit his teeth. Katima shook her head, not believing what she had just heard. " No.... Talyn.... would never....." she whispered. Malik bent down to her height, taking her chin in his elegant hand. " I assure he would. He is doing what a vampire should do - fight Wakanda. Now, Katima... I think you should accompany me to a different room to your brother here. For your... safety." He took her gently by the arm. Katima didn't fight back - she was too dazed from the news she had just received. Malik smiled. This was how he wanted her to be. He didn't want her to struggle, that would come later. Behind him, Malik could hear Tegan struggle to his feet. The vampire Lord turned towards the Wakanda with a smile on his face. " Don't worry. I won't do much to her. I am a gentleman after all. As long as she consents, there is no reason to get angry, is there?" Malik walked off chuckling, going through a pair of doors towards a very secure room inside the citadel of th vampires. He didn't want to take any chances, nor did he want to be interrupted. Katima walked on, with a little of Malik's encouragement, to where he was leading her. They came to a room with gigantic wooden doors. The doors were extremely thick. Only a vampire would be able to move them. Malik pushed them open with ease as he led a dazed Katima into the pitch-black room. He shut the doors behind himself, letting no light into the room at all, still having a grasp upon Katima's arm. Katima felt nothing but the warm touch of Malik's hand upon her arm. She could smell him too - a kind of salty blood smell mixed with a soft pungent scent of lily. It was total darkness, so she could not see a thing - she could only smell, touch, hear and taste. A sudden warm, moist feeling slid up her neck. She shivered, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Malik had licked all the way up the side of her neck to her ear. He nibbled the earlobe softly before whispering in her ear. " In this total darkness... Katima.... what should we do?"[/color][/size] OOC: NO ONE is allowed to interrupt them. NO ONE!!

OOC: Totally new character, but with similar characteristics. [color=red][size=1][b]Name:[/b] Leila (Arabic for 'as dark as night') [b]Nickname:[/b] The Fan Maiden [b]Age:[/b] 950 [b]Gender:[/b] Female [b]Species:[/b] Vampire [b]Clan:[/b] Gyshram [b]Appearance:[/b] See attachment - without the nine tails and dog ears. [b]Weapons:[/b] Two fans that have razor-sharp steel blades that are able to spread out like fingers. Still uses them like a fan as a weapon, able to cut through flesh and bone easily. [b]Powers:[/b] [i]Shadow Dimesion:[/i] Able to go into a semi-dimesion inside another person's shadow using a rare eye technique unique to the Gyshram. They say if you kill a person's shadow, you kill their soul. [b]Personality:[/b] Vivacious, coy, elegant and graceful - that's how her comrades describe her. Leila is one of those women that is able to take men and do what she wishes with them. Vampires that don't know her think of her as a very proper lady, always doing what a lady should do, even when it comes to her bloodlust. But Keitha, one of her closest friends, knows better. Despite being very lady-like in manner at times, Leila is ruthless to the core. She will not hesistate to overcome any obstacle in her path, even if it is a more powerful being than her. Her green eyes are devoid of many emotions when she dances with her fans. [b]Bio:[/b] Leila was born in the sandy Arabian desert, to a family of noble Gyshram vampires. She lived there until she was two and a half when a marauding group of vampires from Europe decided to lay waste to her family. Her brother, Faris, took her through one of the many hidden passageways out into the desert. He managed to get her to the Gyshram Lord's home where both of them were treated for sunstroke and dehydration. The Lord decided to send the two over to Japan to get and education and to learn some unique fighting styles. This is where Leila learnt her fan dancing technique. Her sensei even gave her the steel fans which she uses to this day. When she and Faris returned to the Arabian desert, they were taken back into the Gyshram's fold where they became very successful assassins. This is when Leila met Keitha. Leila was only 50 years younger than Keitha, so the two became rather like sisters and were on equal terms with each other. They even trained together when Keitha was the first to experience Leila's Shadow Dimension Technique. Luckily, Keitha was and still is the only one that has survived this technique, after Leila spent numerous decades perfecting it. (Sorry this isn't very good, I'm rather sick at the moment.) [b]Writing Snippet:[/b] (Sorry about the mix-up) [INDENT]" What news from our Lord?" came a smooth coy female voice from the shadows, a loud snap accompanying her enquiry. An eldery man bowed to the woman. He was dressed in the typical waiter attire with a pair of large round spectacles perched on his nose. Strangely, he also wore a pair of white gloves on his hands. " Milady, his Lord wishes you disperse some vampires that have been running amuck lately. He says they are giving the clan a bad name." Another loud metallic snap echoed through the shadows. " Very well," the female sighed. " If our Lord has nothing better for me to do than to kill some punks, then ..." A soft growl eminated from the woman. The waiter stiffled a snigger. " Keep your composure milady. I'm sure there is a reason to our Lord's madness in sending you to do such meager work." [center]========================[/center] A young woman's screaming echoed from down a dark alleyway. There was also loud malicious laughter from three men. The young woman scurried backwards, knocking over a trash can in her desperate attempt to get away from the three advancing vampires, all laughing, all baring their elongated eye teeth. " SOMEONE! HELP ME! PLEASE, HELP ME!" the woman screamed. " There's no one to help you. You're all alone," one of the male vampires sniggered. His companions laughed out aloud. The woman's eyes were wide with terror. A sudden fluttering caught the attention of the male vampires' senses. They looked behind them. Nothing. They looked back to the woman to find another lovely lady dressed in a red and white kimono standing before them. Her long cream-blonde hair flowed over her shoulders like water over a waterfall. " Woooo! Look what we have here. Another lady wants to join in on our fun boys." Then they noticed the fans in her hands. Leila looked up at them with her cold jade-green eyes. " I would like to tell you that our Lord is not very pleased with your behaviour..." Leila breathed in the silence. The three took a step backwards. " You mean..." one of them asked in a whisper. Leila smiled. " Indeed. I do mean the Lord of the Gyshram. I have come to deal you your punishment for your actions." The two fans snapped out with a flick of her wrists as she flew towards the three with incredible speed. One swipe of the fans and the nearest vampire's head toppled off his body, blood spraying all over Leila. She twirled on her foot, bringing her fans around for a second sweep. This time she split the next vampire into halves, his inards splaying everywhere. Leila, twisting her body through the air, brought her fans vertically down the centre of the last, crouching on the ground as the halves split apart and landed on the ground with a dull thud. The young woman looked on anxiously. All she could see in the darkness was flashes of silver fans. All she could hear was the silent sounds of a battle that was controlled by one person. Then she saw that woman who had miracously appeard out of nowhere to save her, except... There were splatters of blood all over her beautiful white kimono and her white oval face, and through her perfect cream-blonde hair. She almost floated towards her. The woman backed into a wall, and with a terrified look at the the woman who saved her, who was now face-to-face with her. There was a smile on her face, but she couldn't help feel uncomfortable around her saviour. Leila let her hand wander to the woman's neck. The woman instantly put her head back, trying to get away from her creeping hand. Leila lent forward, and pierced the woman's neck. Then, she began to drink.[/INDENT][/color][/size] OOC: PM me if this isn't ok by anyone's standards.

[size=1][color=#6633ff]Kei stared at the knights' swords that had been drawn upon seeing the three women. Rowena, Ashlyn and Kei looked at each other then at the knights' gleaming swords. " What is happening here?" Rowena asked. [i]Indeed. What IS happening here?[/i] Keilantra wondered. She looked at the knights' clothing. Exactly like the way they were depicted in the texts that Kei had been studying the most part of her academic life. She tried to move to the side. The knight masterfully made his horse jump to the same side Kei moved to. The soft ringing of the sword was unnerving. It meant that this wasn't an illusion. " Excuse me," Kei started, " why have you drawn your sword at us?" The knight didn't answer. His head was covered by a helmet so it was impossible to read his facial expression. The other knight that held Rowena and Ashlyn hostage said something in an unknown language to his companion. Kei's knight nodded and pressed forward and asked Kei something in that language. She could tell it was a question because of the tone of voice he asked in. " I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are saying," Kei replied, trying to get that message through to him. The knight's horse reared and snorted at Kei. The knight managed to corner Kei against a tree, the sword's tip barely an inch away from her throat. " Kei, they might think we're witches!" Ashlyn said loudly and suddenly. " How did you come to that conclusion?" Kei yelled over to her. " Could have we..." Rowena trailed off. Ashlyn nodded at her. " Could have we what?" Kei asked them, looking for a way to escape. Before Ashlyn could answer, the knight lunged at her. Kei panicked and tried to duck. She felt the sword slice at her cheek, digging in a little. The horse screamed as the knight's sword shattered into a thousand glittering pieces. It suddenly felt cold in the fog as Kei looked up at the knight, a hand pressed against her cheek so it wouldn't bleed as much. All that remained of the knight's sword was the handle. The blade part had been frozen, frozen so coldly that it became as brittle as a thin layer of ice. Kei could feel the knight look at her with terror. What had just happened? She looked over to Ashlyn and Rowena. Astonished looks were upon their faces. " What... what just happened?" Kei asked. " You.... you...." Ashlyn started. " You just froze that knight's sword and made it shatter," Rowena replied. Kei looked at them in disbelief. " You can't be serious." " We're deadly serious," Ashlyn said firmly. Kei looked at the knight as he started to back away. They needed to get out of this situation and fast...[/color][/size]

[color=#CC0099][size=1][i]Long vivid pink locks obscured a young Katima's vision. She was walking to school. School... yes school.... a place of normality. Or so Kalei had said. That morning, she and her twin brother had had another fight over the discussion of two days ago. How Kalei suddenly made her, Katima, second-in-command just like that. Now her and her brother were fighting constantly about this. The fight would always end with Katima running out of the room crying and Tegan trying to get her to come back to apologise. It wasn't her choice that she, not him, was second-in-command. She wanted nothing to do with it. A chill wind flowed past Katima. She drew her coat around her more, her skirt flying slightly up with the wind. It was one of those days where it couldn't decide what kind of weather it was going to be. With her bookbag slung over one shoulder, Katima walked alone to her school. Upon entering the building, she was swarmed by her friends asking her if she was okay, and if someone had died. [b]Someone had died,[/b] she thought to herself, [b]me.[/b] Making sure Tegan wasn't at his locker, Katima made her way to hers and stuffed her bag in there, roughly taking out the books she needed for her first lesson. She slamed the door shut and came face-to-face with a rather handsome looking boy. He was a little taller than her, had vivid blue eyes and spikey rich brown hair. Those eyes looked down at her as Katima felt goosebumps rise on her arms. She shivered and looked back up at him. " Can... can I help you?" " Oh sorry," the boy said, leaning back, drawing up to his full height. " I'm new here. Are you Katima?" " Ah... yes I am," she replied. " How did you know?" " The admin told me you had pink hair. I haven't seen any other girls with pink hair." " Oh... right." " They also told me you had pink-red eyes." " Yeah... so, ah, how can I help you?" " Well they said that you'd show me around the school. I'm in all your classes." " Oh ok. By the way, you know my name, but I don't know yours." " Sorry about that. I'm Gabriel. I know its a girly name, but hey, gotta live with it." Katima smiled. He was an interesting character indeed. Gabriel huh? He sounded like he was named after one of the angels of God. Rather ironic since she was a Wakanda which hunted creatures that God supposably neglected. She started to get to know this new student Gabriel as they walked to their first class. The bell rang as soon as they entered through the door. Taking seats in the middle of the classroom, Katima and Gabreil kept talking until the teacher entered. History was their first lesson of the day. The teachers tarted drawling on about the Crusades when Tegan entered the room in a rush. His face was rather red, either from running or embarrassment. He took a look around the classroom, seeing Katima sitting next to a guy he'd never seen before. Katima noticed the glance and glared back at him. Gabriel seemed to have noticed this. " Did you two have a fight?" he asked simply. " Yeah, a big one," Katima replied, looking back at Gabriel. Gabriel watched Tegan come up the stairs to their row and sat a few seats away from the two. He looked back at Katima, who, he could tell, was angry. " Is he your boyfriend?" he queried, hoping it wasn't a touchy subject. " What! No way!" Katima yelped, making the whole class and the teacher look at her. Tegan looked at his twin with a confused look on his face. Katima blushed and sank down into her chair. She turned to Gabriel. " He's definitely NOT my boyfriend! He's my twin brother." It was Gabriel's turn to blush. " Oops. Sorry." " It's ok. To outsiders, it must look like we're like that." " Yeah, it does."[/i] Katima looked at Tegan then back at the ceiling. She wondered what Gabriel was doing now. It ended up that Gabriel turned out to be her first boyfriend, much to Tegan's disgust. It was hard to keep the secrets of her race and her abilities from Gabriel, especially when he queried her much about it. About why her looks were so different from everyone else's. About her parents. About her brother Tegan. She could even hear hints of jealousy when Gabriel talked about Tegan, and vice versa. The only reason the two broke up was because Kalei had decided to take both Tegan and Katima to England, to the Manor. It was a rather regretful goodbye, but she never stopped liking him. Sighing, Katima sat up, still with the blanket around her. Looking at her knees, she decided to ask Tegan something. " Tegan.... since nothing's going to happen for a while... I'm going to ask you some questions." Tegan looked up at her with his blood red eyes. He knew where this was going. " Sure Katima." " Tegan..." Katima seemed to be struggling within herself to ask the question. " ... why... why did you leave me?"[/color][/size]