The Genesis of Celaena - Part I
Jan 19, 2019 23:20:51 GMT -7
Post by Celaena Kamyuja on Jan 19, 2019 23:20:51 GMT -7
...The Genesis of Celaena - Part I...
A Village Drenched In Drizzle
Dear Journal
Sunday, twentieth of January, year twenty nineteen
Sinha. Vampire. Companion.
His name was Sinha.
And what I remember most were his eyes. I saw them first by lamplight; a flicker of dark cobalt as he paused a distance from me. His eyes were colour sapphires were meant to be, a grim sparkle of pigment. I stared at those eyes, willing time to slow down as I slipped into those still, watery depths. However, it wasn't the waters of Davy Jones I swam in, but a cool lagoon of Lethe where I bathed in a moment of oblivion.
He had stopped on a deserted street outside the edge of a pale pool of light thrown down by a wrought-iron lamp, his eyes darting up and down the empty expanse. He drew in a deep breath. I think he could sense me watching from some perch but could not peg my exact location. His right hand flexed once at his side, and to my surprise he stepped forward into the light, his night vision momentarily destroyed; taunting me with the bait he dangled before my eyes.
I recollected how I gradually ran my tongue over my teeth. Not only was he impressive to look at, but there was a confidence about him that begged my attention. I remembered how I was half tempted to step away from the shadow of the chimney and allow the moon to outline my slim form. But I hadn't survived for more than one hundred years by making careless mistakes. Balanced on the ridgepole as I was, I watched as he continued down the street. His black leather duster flared as he walked, snapping at his heels like a chained wolf forced to follow its master.
The truth was, I had watched him for more than a month. A mission had sent me to the land of fire where he had blown into its territory like a cold wind and wasted no time causing havoc. He proved to be fast, and deadly with a sword. Smart with secrets of his own. And after weeks of watching my would-be prey, I thought it was time for formal introductions. I knew who he was. More than just another troublemaker. Something wonderfully more, with a vibrant power all his own. I wanted a taste of that power before he died.
And he knew of me.
I sped silently along the rooftops, leaping over the gaps and landing with the sure-footed grace of a cat. Slipping past him, I had stopped at an abandoned home with a widow's walk and worn red brick that would serve as a nice meeting place. Its single turret and dark windows gazed out toward the countryside and human-made river like a silent soldier.
The abandoned house was half hidden behind enormous oak trees dripping with Spanish moss as if guarded by a pair of grand dames swathed in antique lace. The front of the property was lined with a tall, spike iron fence ending in a pair of stone pillars that flanked the path up to the house. I had sat on the top of the left pillar with my legs crossed, waiting for him. The unobtrusive throb of my forces tumbled from my body, a chakra path made for him to pursue directly to me, similar to the pied piper trilling his merry tune for the offspring of Hamelin.
Sinha stopped when he reached the edge of the property to my left and stared at me. Yes, it was brazen, and maybe even a little overconfident on my part, but I didn't want him to grow too sure of himself. He would have to work for his blood tonight. With a slow smile, I rolled off the pillar, disappearing behind the spike fence and into the deeper shadows of the overgrown yard. I cut through the air as if I were made of the night, disappearing through an open window on the second floor at the back of the house.
Waiting in the former bedroom, I listened. Anticipation coiled in my stomach, my body tingling with the thrill of the hunt. Downstairs, the front door exploded open, banging against the wall. I smiled; he knew I was here waiting for him. I strode across the hardwood floor, moving into the master bedroom, the heels of my boots reverberating through the vacant house. Now he knew exactly where I was, too.
Once in the bedroom, my steps quieted until I didn't make a sound as I crossed to the far side of the room. I leaned into the empty corner, letting the shadows fold around me like a cloak, falling into the darkness that had long whispered secrets of the night and death. Around me, the old house creaked and sighed as we both waited. Sinha finally appeared in the doorway, his shoulders so wide they nearly brushed the sides of the entry. I stood silent for a moment, enjoying the slow, even rise and fall of his chest. He was perfectly calm. He was tall, maybe six feet, with raven black hair that hung wild to his shoulders. His cheekbones were high and his jaw strong and hard like granite. Along the way, he had shed his black coat, and his right hand gripped a six-inch silver blade that caught the moonlight.
"You are the one they call Sinha," I had said. My voice slithered out from the shadows while my body remains hidden. His head had jerked toward my direction, his eyes slits of blue in the darkness. "They say you killed four men with one stroke of a blade in one attack." I stepped forward, the shadows sliding their arms about my body, and paced across the room so he could see me clearly for the first time. In the soft light that poured through the windows, my pale skin glowed like white marble. I moved no closer to him, giving him a chance to size me up.
"But you missed daimyō at his picnic," I said, curiosity lifting my voice. "And his daughter sits tight for you in Mo village, though she is not as important as he is."
"There's still time." His voice was like a growl in the back of his throat. I usually prefer soft-spoken tones but his was nice. A strong baritone type of rumble. However, still I paused, staring at him as I was. I couldn't place the accent, and I'd heard many over the years. It was old, very old. Not as old as the sands of time, but something that hadn't been uttered in ages. It was something to ponder about, but I had more pressing queries. "Perhaps," I conceded with a not.
"Aren't you called the 'Kamyuja Queen'?"
I laughed, a deep throaty sound that curled through the air. Was that what I was called? I watched as Sinha shifted from one foot to the other, but his expression never changed. "Among other things." I walked back toward the opposite wall, but this time I moved closer to him. His muscles tightened but he didn't step backward. It was enough for me to brush against the circle of power that enveloped him, rubbing against my bare skin like cool silk. It also gave him a better taste of my own power. Chaos. By the time I reached my original corner, something had changed in his eyes.
"You were Otafuku Gai three nights ago, he said.
"Yes." The word came out a whispered hiss.
"I killed two Ame shinobi that night." He said it as if it should have explained everything.
"So?"
"Why didn't you try to stop me?"
I chuckled softly, with a slight shake of my head. Try. Were we both truly this arrogant? I lifted my shoulders in an indifferent shrug.
"They were not mine to protect."
"But they were of your village."
"They were not mine to protect," I repeated myself. Pushing off the wall, I started toward him. Sinha moved, mirroring me as he stepped out of the doorway.
He turned so his back was to the wall as we circled each other. His steps were graceful and fluid, like a dance. The knot tightened again in my stomach and my body hummed with energy. I took a single step forward, testing him, and Sinha lashed out with his right hand. Jerking away, I kept the blade from slashing at my face. Yet, he surprised me when he immediately spun back around, lifting his left hand to reveal a tantō blade curving up the length of his arm. His first move had been a feint to get me to expose my throat. I dropped into a spin kick, clipping one of his feet before he could move. The man stumbled as he backed away, but remained standing. Balanced on the balls of my feet, I pressed my fingers to the dusty hardwood floor.
"Not bad." I waited a heartbeat, then crossed the distance between us, hitting him in the chest with both hands. Air exploded from his lungs. The blow threw both his arms involuntarily forward as he stumbled back. I kicked out with my right foot, hitting his left hand. The impact loosened his grip and sent the blade spinning across the floor, to clatter against the far wall. Unfortunately, he recovered faster than I expected and swung his right arm forward, grazing my cheep with the dagger.
The unexpected stab of pain screamed through me, and I jerked back out of arm's reach. I hissed at him, already feeling the familiar heat coursing toward my eyes. Before I could only see through black and white. A baren grey world of shadows and dark smudges, but now I was beginning to see his chakra network and the like. Not as perfect like the Hyuga, more like a halo or a glow. But colour was colour and that normally happens when my eyes evolve into a different shade.
Again I forced myself to stand and relax. Sinha drew in a few ragged gulps of air before his breathing evened out. Breathing would be painful for a while, but at least he still could. I lifted my left hand to my cheek and then moved my fingers into my line of sight; my eyes never leaving his tense form. Blood covered two fingers. Slowly, I licked them, letting the copper taste coat my tongue. The pain in my cheek was already gone, but now there was a smear of blood. My blood.
I rushed him again, but Sinha was ready. He swung the blade at me, once again going for my throat. I easily caught his hand. He swung his left fist at my face. I battered it away. Squeezing his right hand, I tried to force him to drop the dagger without breaking his hand, but despite the pain, he wouldn't drop it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his left hand go for another weapon at his side.
"Fine." The single word escaped in a growl as I grabbed his left wrist. I swept my leg beneath his, throwing us both down. Lying on top of him, I pinned both his hands against the floor. Sure, he was heavier than me, but even with all his muscles, I was still stronger. Kamyuja's has its perks. Sliding along his body, my leather pants slipped along his legs until I was straddling him. I smiled down at him, rubbing against the hard bulge in his pants.
"I thought you were glad to see me," I purred, unable to keep the laughter from my voice. Sinha glared at me, his eyes solidifying into cool jewels. I knew better. The violence turned him on, not me. He stared at me, his mind turning over thoughts I wished I could hear. Something about me bothered him. Sure, I was beautiful, but I knew better than that wasn't the reason. The question that flickered in his eyes was the only reason I think he had not actually tried to kill me yet. We'd taken a few nice stabs at each other, but no killing blows. The other fights I had witnessed had been quick. Each of his attacks were precise and efficient, planned to end the battle and take down his targets. Maybe we were still sizing each other up, enjoying the building tension, but I wasn't sure.
With my hands still locked on his wrists, I pulled backward, lowering my face until my chin rested on his sternum, my eyes locked with his. His muscles tightened beneath me but he didn't jerk or try to throw me off. Instead, he said. "I didn't come he to kill you." A bubble of laughter escaped me as I moved forward so my face hovered above his.
"And that is supposed to stop me from completing my mission? No hunka hunka, I plan to dig around inside of you to find out where that little ball of power is hiding. I heard rumours of vampirism, I'm gonna find out." I smiled at him, broadly enough to show I meant business. Sinha was moving before I even had a chance to react, rolling so he was now on top of me. But I was still holding his wrists. I pushed him backward, throwing him off me and across the room. However, when he managed to get this his feet, I was back in the corner, balanced on my heels, with my shoulders braced against the two walls. When he moved, I gracefully rolled to my feet, as if I was a marionette pulled up by my strings. There was nothing human about the movement despite I am all human but I was pleased to see it unnerved him.
"I've changed my mind. I was right about you, let's team up." He stared at me as though I grew two heads suddenly. But nevertheless, that was how Sinha and I met.
Private training thread.