Raphael didn't sleep. Long after the last words between them had been spoken he laid awake, staring unblinking at the ceiling, his hands folded behind his head. Truthfully, he usually did not go to sleep until much later, often just as the sun was coming up. But even if he had been tired, he doubted sleep would have come.
He lay there, the sound of his guest's light breathing carrying to him.
You fool. You're sleeping on the floor, by yourself, while a beautiful woman sleeps in your bed. Have you gone stark raving mad?
A quiet chuckle escaped him at his own thoughts. Yes, perhaps he was a little mad. There were worse things that he could be tonight.
Not that he felt any sort of conviction for his lifestyle. He never forced himself on anyone- the women were usually more than willing to give into his charm, sometimes requiring no effort on his part at all. No, he was not sorry for the way he lived, making fools out of everyone he met.
Which was why he was awake and thinking. Because the woman in his bed was someone who he had not made a fool of, and who had not made a fool of him.
It was strange, feeling genuine like this. In a way, he pondered, this night was one of the most significant of his life. Certainly the first time there was a woman in his bed who he was not sleeping with. But more, the first time there was a woman in his bed who he wanted to be there, even without sexual interaction.
He didn't know what would happen in the morning, or what he would say when they parted ways. But he wasn't concerned about that, now.
He wasn't alone. For this single night, he wasn't alone.
It was a nice feeling.
And then something huge came smashing through the barred door in a storm of splinters and cold wind.
Raphael had shot straight up, adrenaline flooding his bloodstream, his heart somewhere in his throat and his gut in knots. In the slight orange light that was still emanating from the embers in the fireplace, all he could make out was the dark silhouette of a freakishly large wolf.
Whose glowing blue eyes were aimed directly at him.
Raphael was not a warrior. He had no experience identifying monsters, demon-possessed or otherwise- much less fighting them. He felt the eyes burn panic into him as a terrified jumble of what and why crowded into his brain.
But it took him exactly one blink to know that his only plan was to get out of this room somehow and run. The doorway was the only way in, and the only one out.
The creature stepped forward with one paw, horrible claws clacking on the wooden floor, and in an instant Raphael mentally reached out and took hold of his gladius, and with a sharp burst of focus it slipped from its sheath where it hung on the wall next to the door and came clattering across the floor to his feet where he snatched it up and held it out in front of him.
The sword falling to floor as Raphael had attempted to pull to him had actually saved his life, as the beast was about of spring when the loud clattering made it spin around as the blade then scooted under it. And now when Korhos turned back, its prey held a weapon.
Raphael glanced to the bed behind him, to Sable.
An Opportunity, A Manipulation, and a Terror
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Raphael Quinn
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- Race: Human
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Sable Corvi
- Outsider
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
Unlike her roommate, Sable slept more soundly than she had in months. Warm, comfortable, and with a sense of being protected, she quickly drifted off.
Her dreams, too, began restfully. She was home – if that word really applied – with her sister, and someone else. Her father? No...her dream-self couldn't place the face, though it was familiar. Comfortable. Anyway, he wasn't speaking or moving. None of them were. They simply sat, at peace.
In time, however, the dream shifted, as someone (something?) knocked down the door to her dream-home with a resounding crash. She peered through the dust as it settled, and saw him. A beast shaped like a man, with wings that blocked the sun...
He was here for her sister!
She woke with a gasp, staring up at the ceiling. At first, she didn't register that the sound of the door breaking had been a reality, rather than part of her nightmare. But someone (something!) other than Raphael was breathing, moving in the room.
With wings that blocked the sun...
No. That day was past. And yet, as she sat up, she couldn't resist the fear, mixed with a certain morbid hope, that the intruder was that same beast. The thought was mad. But if it was true, it would, at least, confirm that she had been right, that she wasn't insane. That she hadn't killed her sister.
So she couldn't help but feel a little let down as she turned and saw the wolf-like creature that stood in the doorway. It wasn't long, though, before that thoroughly irrational emotion gave way to fear. Her hand flew to her side, yanking free her dagger. In the same instant, she looked at Raphael, just as he glanced back at her. It was a bit idiotic of him, to take his eyes off his enemy, but she couldn't help but feel strangely flattered. Whether he had looked out of concern or by reflex, the fact remained that he had thought to register her presence, to, what, check on her?
As she returned her gaze to the beast, her breath hitched in her throat. “What the hell?” she choked, raising her dagger higher as if to attack. As if her little blade could do any good.
That sense of being protected? It was gone, like a shield clattering to the floor. Panic replaced it as she looked around for an escape. Blast. The wolf...thing...was blocking the only exit. That was, of course, her fault. She was used to planning ahead, to making sure there was a way to extricate herself from a situation if it turned sour. Tonight, she had grown complacent, and she might have to pay for that. A strange thought. She wasn't used to facing the results of her decisions; she was too skilled at evading “consequences.” Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?
Her dreams, too, began restfully. She was home – if that word really applied – with her sister, and someone else. Her father? No...her dream-self couldn't place the face, though it was familiar. Comfortable. Anyway, he wasn't speaking or moving. None of them were. They simply sat, at peace.
In time, however, the dream shifted, as someone (something?) knocked down the door to her dream-home with a resounding crash. She peered through the dust as it settled, and saw him. A beast shaped like a man, with wings that blocked the sun...
He was here for her sister!
She woke with a gasp, staring up at the ceiling. At first, she didn't register that the sound of the door breaking had been a reality, rather than part of her nightmare. But someone (something!) other than Raphael was breathing, moving in the room.
With wings that blocked the sun...
No. That day was past. And yet, as she sat up, she couldn't resist the fear, mixed with a certain morbid hope, that the intruder was that same beast. The thought was mad. But if it was true, it would, at least, confirm that she had been right, that she wasn't insane. That she hadn't killed her sister.
So she couldn't help but feel a little let down as she turned and saw the wolf-like creature that stood in the doorway. It wasn't long, though, before that thoroughly irrational emotion gave way to fear. Her hand flew to her side, yanking free her dagger. In the same instant, she looked at Raphael, just as he glanced back at her. It was a bit idiotic of him, to take his eyes off his enemy, but she couldn't help but feel strangely flattered. Whether he had looked out of concern or by reflex, the fact remained that he had thought to register her presence, to, what, check on her?
As she returned her gaze to the beast, her breath hitched in her throat. “What the hell?” she choked, raising her dagger higher as if to attack. As if her little blade could do any good.
That sense of being protected? It was gone, like a shield clattering to the floor. Panic replaced it as she looked around for an escape. Blast. The wolf...thing...was blocking the only exit. That was, of course, her fault. She was used to planning ahead, to making sure there was a way to extricate herself from a situation if it turned sour. Tonight, she had grown complacent, and she might have to pay for that. A strange thought. She wasn't used to facing the results of her decisions; she was too skilled at evading “consequences.” Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?
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Raphael Quinn
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- Race: Human
Yes, she was awake. Not that he thought anyone could've possibly slept through that crash, but still. He needed to know.
"What the hell?"
Exactly, he thought to himself, his gaze flipping back to the beast. Why in the nine hells there was a creature like this in his room, in the middle of the city, was beyond his ability to fathom. The notion that someone he had stolen from had been powerful enough to hunt him down like this didn't even enter his mind-
He was far to sly for anyone to get the drop on him like that.
He saw muscles bunch menacingly throughout the beast's massive shoulders and knew enough to see that it was preparing to spring. In the heartbeats that had transpired since the creature had come crashing through the doorway, a whole whirlwind of actions and reactions had taken place, adrenaline making things seem abnormally slow.
Now that seemed to wear off, and Raphael heard the low snarl crawl from the monster's throat, saliva that dripped from its maw glowing like droplets of molten metal in the embers' orange glow-
The embers.
His gladius still held out before him, Raphael turned his head just enough to direct his voice back at Sable, "When it hits him, we go."
There was no more time to offer an explanation. He had no other ideas anyway as he diverted all of his focus onto the embers in the fireplace, and pulled it toward them.
However, in his haste, Raphael didn't consider how light everything would be in the fireplace in its burned up, super-hot glowing state. So instead of jerking a glowing log to them for the purpose of striking the creature with it, the entire contents of the fireplace exploded outward into the room in a choking cloud of ash and glowing embers.
"What the hell?"
Exactly, he thought to himself, his gaze flipping back to the beast. Why in the nine hells there was a creature like this in his room, in the middle of the city, was beyond his ability to fathom. The notion that someone he had stolen from had been powerful enough to hunt him down like this didn't even enter his mind-
He was far to sly for anyone to get the drop on him like that.
He saw muscles bunch menacingly throughout the beast's massive shoulders and knew enough to see that it was preparing to spring. In the heartbeats that had transpired since the creature had come crashing through the doorway, a whole whirlwind of actions and reactions had taken place, adrenaline making things seem abnormally slow.
Now that seemed to wear off, and Raphael heard the low snarl crawl from the monster's throat, saliva that dripped from its maw glowing like droplets of molten metal in the embers' orange glow-
The embers.
His gladius still held out before him, Raphael turned his head just enough to direct his voice back at Sable, "When it hits him, we go."
There was no more time to offer an explanation. He had no other ideas anyway as he diverted all of his focus onto the embers in the fireplace, and pulled it toward them.
However, in his haste, Raphael didn't consider how light everything would be in the fireplace in its burned up, super-hot glowing state. So instead of jerking a glowing log to them for the purpose of striking the creature with it, the entire contents of the fireplace exploded outward into the room in a choking cloud of ash and glowing embers.
Life is just a mind game.
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Korhos
There were two. A female, on the bed, and the male. Both of them without weapons. Then there was the clatter behind it, and Korhos spun, snarling, looking for an attack.
But there was nothing. It spun back- and stared at the shining length of metal in the male's hands.
Korhos didn't understand how its unarmed prey had come to possess the steel fang. But it didn't care. That mortal weapon couldn't stop it, not in the long run. Korhos was death incarnate, as unstoppable as nightfall and frigid winter.
The demon wolf gathered itself for the spring that would crush its prey beneath it, and then rend flesh from bone with its wicked claws and lap at the blood of its victim while it still breathed.
When abruptly it was struck in the side and the face by burning pieces of wood as the dull embers in the fireplace exploded.
The demon-half of Korhos couldn't have cared less about the damage it sustained. But the wolf-half of Korhos still possessed a deeply rooted hatred of fire, inherent to it and its ancestors for centuries, and that strong instinct overrode its higher thought functions and it sprung toward the source of the explosions, snapping and snarling in the suffocating clouds of ash, frothing at the mouth in its fury as it hunted for an unseen assailant.
Leaving the doorway open.
But there was nothing. It spun back- and stared at the shining length of metal in the male's hands.
Korhos didn't understand how its unarmed prey had come to possess the steel fang. But it didn't care. That mortal weapon couldn't stop it, not in the long run. Korhos was death incarnate, as unstoppable as nightfall and frigid winter.
The demon wolf gathered itself for the spring that would crush its prey beneath it, and then rend flesh from bone with its wicked claws and lap at the blood of its victim while it still breathed.
When abruptly it was struck in the side and the face by burning pieces of wood as the dull embers in the fireplace exploded.
The demon-half of Korhos couldn't have cared less about the damage it sustained. But the wolf-half of Korhos still possessed a deeply rooted hatred of fire, inherent to it and its ancestors for centuries, and that strong instinct overrode its higher thought functions and it sprung toward the source of the explosions, snapping and snarling in the suffocating clouds of ash, frothing at the mouth in its fury as it hunted for an unseen assailant.
Leaving the doorway open.
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Sable Corvi
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- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
"When it hits him, we go."
When what hits him? And him? Him, as though the beast were a human, a sentient being who might sit down and ask them to share a drink in just a moment, if only it would get over this silly bloodlust phase...
It was at about that junction in her thought process that the fireplace exploded.
Without thinking, she gasped in surprise, and grit immediately coated the inside of her mouth and flew down her throat, trapping her spent breath in her lungs as she struggled to exhale. Panicking as the scattered embers pelted her, she looked again for an escape, as though one might have materialized in the last few moments. Unlikely as that was, however, she couldn't have seen even if that were the case; ash descended relentlessly on her face, blocking her vision.
Nevertheless, she heard the beast's snarls, and they weren't...they weren't quite where the door had been. Or so she hoped -- the ash was disorienting. And it occured to her that Raphael had made the fire fly into the room, irrational as that sounded. Was he an idiot?
"When it hits him, we go."
It. This was it? Of all the hare-brained...Nevertheless, if this was the man's plan, then it was also, in all likelihood, her only chance to get out of the room. As she was currently sharing the space with a savage beast and a suffocating cloud, she figured she'd best take the opportunity.
She ran for the door -- or where she hoped it was -- wheezing as she did. That was stupid. The monster would be likely to follow the sound of her coughs. But then, she didn't have much choice, thanks to her dim-witted benefactor. Couldn't he have flung a chair at the thing instead? Or the trunk?
Speaking of Raphael... She turned as she exited the room (thank the gods, she was free!), looking back. Not for his sake, of course, she told herself, but to see if the monster had followed. After all, she didn't care what happened to the man. He was a stranger, a chance encounter. Not to mention a fool.
And yet she looked back.
When what hits him? And him? Him, as though the beast were a human, a sentient being who might sit down and ask them to share a drink in just a moment, if only it would get over this silly bloodlust phase...
It was at about that junction in her thought process that the fireplace exploded.
Without thinking, she gasped in surprise, and grit immediately coated the inside of her mouth and flew down her throat, trapping her spent breath in her lungs as she struggled to exhale. Panicking as the scattered embers pelted her, she looked again for an escape, as though one might have materialized in the last few moments. Unlikely as that was, however, she couldn't have seen even if that were the case; ash descended relentlessly on her face, blocking her vision.
Nevertheless, she heard the beast's snarls, and they weren't...they weren't quite where the door had been. Or so she hoped -- the ash was disorienting. And it occured to her that Raphael had made the fire fly into the room, irrational as that sounded. Was he an idiot?
"When it hits him, we go."
It. This was it? Of all the hare-brained...Nevertheless, if this was the man's plan, then it was also, in all likelihood, her only chance to get out of the room. As she was currently sharing the space with a savage beast and a suffocating cloud, she figured she'd best take the opportunity.
She ran for the door -- or where she hoped it was -- wheezing as she did. That was stupid. The monster would be likely to follow the sound of her coughs. But then, she didn't have much choice, thanks to her dim-witted benefactor. Couldn't he have flung a chair at the thing instead? Or the trunk?
Speaking of Raphael... She turned as she exited the room (thank the gods, she was free!), looking back. Not for his sake, of course, she told herself, but to see if the monster had followed. After all, she didn't care what happened to the man. He was a stranger, a chance encounter. Not to mention a fool.
And yet she looked back.
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Raphael Quinn
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- Race: Human
Raphael coughed and sputtered for a moment, squinting his watering eyes against the ash. Well, that was not exactly what he had planned. Doing anything involving his ability that he had not done before was always a bit of a gamble, they just usually didn't end up being this messy.
But that was in the back of his mind as he heard the creature snarling and growling on the other side of the room. In the dark and dust, the form of Sable rushed past him from the bed, coughing and wheezing as she went. He nearly apologized, but another sharp snarl dismissed that notion immediately and he plunged after Sable's retreating [and coughing] form.
And then he was abruptly clear of cloud of ash and nearly collided with Sable, her hair and face and clothes light dusted with ash, faintly visibly in the wavering moonlight. She had been paused, watching the doorway.
Was she waiting for him?
Another savage growl sounded from within the room behind them, far too nearby for Raphael to experience anything like relief or take enough time to form a plan beyond the single syllable he formed.
"Run."
Putting a hand on the small of her back, purely by instinct, he pressured her at a full sprint down the stairs that lead from the third story door they had just come from. He started to run to the next flight of stairs that led down to the street, but abruptly stopped, catching Sable's arm as his thoughts caught up with him.
This creature was strong enough to smash through his door. Odds were also that the wolf was going to be far faster in a foot race than either of them. Hitting the streets would be as much of a death sentence as staying in the room.
He glanced to his right and saw the low rooftop of the neighboring stone dwelling, separated from this one by a narrow alley. All around were buildings of similar height- some even conjoined. Jutting chimneys, slanted and flat rooftops- it looked like a crazy man-made jungle.
Raphael looked back to Sable, his grip unconsciously tighter than necessary. "The rooftops-" he abbreviated his thoughts in a rapidly spoken explanation, "we'll never outrun it in the streets. But we might on the rooftops."
But that was in the back of his mind as he heard the creature snarling and growling on the other side of the room. In the dark and dust, the form of Sable rushed past him from the bed, coughing and wheezing as she went. He nearly apologized, but another sharp snarl dismissed that notion immediately and he plunged after Sable's retreating [and coughing] form.
And then he was abruptly clear of cloud of ash and nearly collided with Sable, her hair and face and clothes light dusted with ash, faintly visibly in the wavering moonlight. She had been paused, watching the doorway.
Was she waiting for him?
Another savage growl sounded from within the room behind them, far too nearby for Raphael to experience anything like relief or take enough time to form a plan beyond the single syllable he formed.
"Run."
Putting a hand on the small of her back, purely by instinct, he pressured her at a full sprint down the stairs that lead from the third story door they had just come from. He started to run to the next flight of stairs that led down to the street, but abruptly stopped, catching Sable's arm as his thoughts caught up with him.
This creature was strong enough to smash through his door. Odds were also that the wolf was going to be far faster in a foot race than either of them. Hitting the streets would be as much of a death sentence as staying in the room.
He glanced to his right and saw the low rooftop of the neighboring stone dwelling, separated from this one by a narrow alley. All around were buildings of similar height- some even conjoined. Jutting chimneys, slanted and flat rooftops- it looked like a crazy man-made jungle.
Raphael looked back to Sable, his grip unconsciously tighter than necessary. "The rooftops-" he abbreviated his thoughts in a rapidly spoken explanation, "we'll never outrun it in the streets. But we might on the rooftops."
Last edited by Raphael Quinn on Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Life is just a mind game.
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Korhos
It was a long moment before Korhos regained control of itself, the demon-half's higher thinking abilities, however muddled with the pure instinct of the wolf-half, at last won out and the slavering creature stopped biting at the embers and empty ash.
At that point Korhos became very quiet and still, realizing it could not see its prey. The prey that had held the steel fang. For all of its magical enhancements, Korhos could not see through the thick clouds of ash, and its sense of smell was somewhat overpowered in the ash as well. But its hearing was still in perfect use, and so the demon wolf crouched and listened, alert to an ambush.
And it heard nothing. No sounds of breathing, no heartbeat- nothing.
Korhos was not unintelligent. It knew that its prey was not dead. It could still sense the nearness of it.
But it... was no longer in the room...
And the simple answer that they had escaped the room clicked in the terrifying creature's brain.
A baleful, furious howl of the hunt bellowed from the beast's mouth and echoed throughout that entire neighborhood of the city, stealing courage and hope with its haunting reverberations.
At that point Korhos became very quiet and still, realizing it could not see its prey. The prey that had held the steel fang. For all of its magical enhancements, Korhos could not see through the thick clouds of ash, and its sense of smell was somewhat overpowered in the ash as well. But its hearing was still in perfect use, and so the demon wolf crouched and listened, alert to an ambush.
And it heard nothing. No sounds of breathing, no heartbeat- nothing.
Korhos was not unintelligent. It knew that its prey was not dead. It could still sense the nearness of it.
But it... was no longer in the room...
And the simple answer that they had escaped the room clicked in the terrifying creature's brain.
A baleful, furious howl of the hunt bellowed from the beast's mouth and echoed throughout that entire neighborhood of the city, stealing courage and hope with its haunting reverberations.
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Sable Corvi
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- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
Part of Sable wanted to feel affronted at his hand on her back, and the presumption that implied. She told herself as they ran that she suppressed this inclination not because the hand was a comfort, but because, considering their situation, it was inconsequential.
It occurred to her then that this was the first time he'd touched her since...well, since they'd really gotten to know each other. So perhaps it wasn't so inconsequential after all. Perhaps it spoke volumes.
Dear gods, they were running for their lives, and she was analyzing and reanalyzing a touch, a gesture that from anyone else would have meant nothing.
She stumbled as he stopped her with his hand, and very nearly yanked her arm out of his grasp. Why she didn't, she couldn't say. It was the sort of touch that so many men had used, jerking her around as they saw fit, and usually she would not have thought twice about it. This, however, was different. Whether it was different because Raphael knew her, and should have known better, or because he knew her...and, thus, the gesture was more protective than proprietary...
"Ouch!" she protested reflexively as his grip tightened. The rooftops? There was no way she was going to sprint across the tops of buildings with this madman. So far, his master plans had gotten her coated in ash, inside and out. What made him think that-
And then she heard it. The shriek of an angry beast, far too close for comfort. Shivering despite herself, she whispered, "Fine. But if you get me killed, so help me..."
It occurred to her then that this was the first time he'd touched her since...well, since they'd really gotten to know each other. So perhaps it wasn't so inconsequential after all. Perhaps it spoke volumes.
Dear gods, they were running for their lives, and she was analyzing and reanalyzing a touch, a gesture that from anyone else would have meant nothing.
She stumbled as he stopped her with his hand, and very nearly yanked her arm out of his grasp. Why she didn't, she couldn't say. It was the sort of touch that so many men had used, jerking her around as they saw fit, and usually she would not have thought twice about it. This, however, was different. Whether it was different because Raphael knew her, and should have known better, or because he knew her...and, thus, the gesture was more protective than proprietary...
"Ouch!" she protested reflexively as his grip tightened. The rooftops? There was no way she was going to sprint across the tops of buildings with this madman. So far, his master plans had gotten her coated in ash, inside and out. What made him think that-
And then she heard it. The shriek of an angry beast, far too close for comfort. Shivering despite herself, she whispered, "Fine. But if you get me killed, so help me..."
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Raphael Quinn
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- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
Even in the moment, Raphael couldn't suppress a grin at the idea that she'd be furious with him if he led her to her death.
"Trust me-" he said as he led her at a run over to the short wooden railing that fenced in the landing they were on, "luck is with us. After all, we're not dead yet."
Releasing her arm [trusting that she understood what to do] he carried through with the momentum of his run and placed his foot on the top rail and launched himself off of it, air rushing by him as he over-cleared the narrow alley below. He landed heavily on the other side and stumbled a little but managed to keep his balance as the rooftop was flat and the difference in height from it to the landing not very great.
The clouds cleared a little at the moment, as though aiding them in their navigation by allowing more silver moonlight to bathe the area. Raphael rushed to the next building which nestled against this one, but was possessed of a two-sided steeply slanted rooftop, far too steep to climb across, the pinnacle of which was easily ten feet higher than the roof they stood on now.
But a brief sweeping with his eyes discovered a wide box-guttering that ran along the edge of the steep roof line, and Raphael made for it, seeing no other way to make it across.
And then he hesitated for a split-second, considering- before glancing to Sable-
"You first! Go!" he indicated the guttering with his gladius, which he still held in his right hand. "It won't be able to follow us across something this narrow!"
"Trust me-" he said as he led her at a run over to the short wooden railing that fenced in the landing they were on, "luck is with us. After all, we're not dead yet."
Releasing her arm [trusting that she understood what to do] he carried through with the momentum of his run and placed his foot on the top rail and launched himself off of it, air rushing by him as he over-cleared the narrow alley below. He landed heavily on the other side and stumbled a little but managed to keep his balance as the rooftop was flat and the difference in height from it to the landing not very great.
The clouds cleared a little at the moment, as though aiding them in their navigation by allowing more silver moonlight to bathe the area. Raphael rushed to the next building which nestled against this one, but was possessed of a two-sided steeply slanted rooftop, far too steep to climb across, the pinnacle of which was easily ten feet higher than the roof they stood on now.
But a brief sweeping with his eyes discovered a wide box-guttering that ran along the edge of the steep roof line, and Raphael made for it, seeing no other way to make it across.
And then he hesitated for a split-second, considering- before glancing to Sable-
"You first! Go!" he indicated the guttering with his gladius, which he still held in his right hand. "It won't be able to follow us across something this narrow!"
Life is just a mind game.
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Korhos
For a few seconds Korhos lunged violently around the room, destroying the table and smashing the chairs, crashing into the walls even in blind rage as it attempted to locate the doorway. And then it heard the sounds of movement from beyond the room, and followed them perfectly to the opening in the wall where the door had stood.
The beast moved slowly, only its huge head emerging from the ash cloud that still hung in the room, and its hungry blue eyes immediately located its prey, and the woman, who was now also its prey. Just for being there.
Korhos snarled and bounded down the stairs.
The beast moved slowly, only its huge head emerging from the ash cloud that still hung in the room, and its hungry blue eyes immediately located its prey, and the woman, who was now also its prey. Just for being there.
Korhos snarled and bounded down the stairs.
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Sable Corvi
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- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
"Luck, indeed," Sable muttered as they ran to the edge of the landing. If such things were governed by chance, then she wanted no part. Luck implied a lack of control. Helplessness.
Luck could change in an instant.
Nevertheless, she leapt after him, skittering to a stop as she landed on the other side. It was fortunate - lucky - that the buildings were this close together. What if they were to come to a larger gap? She wasn't exactly an acrobat, and the ground was a long way down...
And yet she chased after him, which indicated that she did trust him, at least a little. Maybe. To a point.
That, or she was crazy. Because nothing else would explain her stepping out onto the gutter at Raphael's request. It could collapse beneath her, she reasoned. She could go plummetting...was that why he'd told her to go first?
However, as she began to inch along the guttering's length, she reconsidered. Bits of the surface crumbled with every step she took; she was safer, going first, as she weakened the path he would have to follow.
"Be careful." She was talking to herself, of course, because she didn't care what happened to him. Which was why she said it loud enough for him to hear, looking away from the street below to lock eyes with him as she inched further across.
Luck could change in an instant.
Nevertheless, she leapt after him, skittering to a stop as she landed on the other side. It was fortunate - lucky - that the buildings were this close together. What if they were to come to a larger gap? She wasn't exactly an acrobat, and the ground was a long way down...
And yet she chased after him, which indicated that she did trust him, at least a little. Maybe. To a point.
That, or she was crazy. Because nothing else would explain her stepping out onto the gutter at Raphael's request. It could collapse beneath her, she reasoned. She could go plummetting...was that why he'd told her to go first?
However, as she began to inch along the guttering's length, she reconsidered. Bits of the surface crumbled with every step she took; she was safer, going first, as she weakened the path he would have to follow.
"Be careful." She was talking to herself, of course, because she didn't care what happened to him. Which was why she said it loud enough for him to hear, looking away from the street below to lock eyes with him as she inched further across.
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Raphael Quinn
- Outsider
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
She hadn't done that before, really. All night. She had looked at him, at the fire, and around him quite a bit. But she hadn't really looked him in the eyes like she did then. Things were paused for just a moment, and Raphael just looked back, lost over what fates had conspired to bring this night together. Why had he met her? Why was she here, running from a monster with him? Why hadn't he slept with her?
If there were gods, they were insane. That was the only thing he was sure of at this point.
Then he heard the snarl and his neck snapped to look back over his shoulder to behold the huge, dark head of the creature poking out of the doorway, as though disembodied from its torso, its eyes latched onto him. It was all he could do in that moment not to panic.
The monstrous wolf bounded down the stairs, and Raphael had no doubt that it would clear the small gap between the buildings and be on them in seconds. But Sable was barely three-forths across the guttering yet, and it was creaking and cracking under her weight as it was.
But they were about to die anyway.
"Forget caution! Run!"
He practically sprinted onto the narrow guttering, feeling it shudder and begin to break away from the roof as he nearly lost his balance, only sheer momentum keeping him from falling to the cobblestone street below.
And the guttering chose that instant as he was little beyond halfway across to completely break free of the roof. Raphael felt it coming and threw the sword in his hand to the roof ahead, leaping for the next roof line as the ground fell from beneath him to where it crashed and shattered loudly on the street below. He half-way made it onto the rooftop, his upper body slamming onto the roof and his lower smashing to the wall. His hands scrambled crazily for a grip as he felt himself sliding backward off the roof, the wind too knocked-out of him to gasp for help.
If there were gods, they were insane. That was the only thing he was sure of at this point.
Then he heard the snarl and his neck snapped to look back over his shoulder to behold the huge, dark head of the creature poking out of the doorway, as though disembodied from its torso, its eyes latched onto him. It was all he could do in that moment not to panic.
The monstrous wolf bounded down the stairs, and Raphael had no doubt that it would clear the small gap between the buildings and be on them in seconds. But Sable was barely three-forths across the guttering yet, and it was creaking and cracking under her weight as it was.
But they were about to die anyway.
"Forget caution! Run!"
He practically sprinted onto the narrow guttering, feeling it shudder and begin to break away from the roof as he nearly lost his balance, only sheer momentum keeping him from falling to the cobblestone street below.
And the guttering chose that instant as he was little beyond halfway across to completely break free of the roof. Raphael felt it coming and threw the sword in his hand to the roof ahead, leaping for the next roof line as the ground fell from beneath him to where it crashed and shattered loudly on the street below. He half-way made it onto the rooftop, his upper body slamming onto the roof and his lower smashing to the wall. His hands scrambled crazily for a grip as he felt himself sliding backward off the roof, the wind too knocked-out of him to gasp for help.
Last edited by Raphael Quinn on Sun Aug 12, 2007 1:24 am, edited 2 times in total.
Life is just a mind game.
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Sable Corvi
- Outsider
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 am
- Race: Human
Sable ran - but not fast enough. Not fast enough or far enough to miss the sound of the guttering pulling away from the roof. Not enough for the slam of a body against a hard surface to escape her notice...but far enough that it was hard to tell whether this surface was that of the roof, or the ground.
Oh gods, if he's dead...If he's dead, it's best to run. Don't look back. Just keep going. But if not...
And so, in a shocking display of idiocy, she stopped - stopped, while a man-eating beast could close the gap between them at any moment! - and turned. And, inexplicably, she felt relief join the rest of her mixed-up emotions as she saw Raphael, certainly in danger, but not dead. Not yet.
He needed her help. He needed her...but she needed herself more, and to rush to his side would be to put herself in danger. Perhaps he could pull himself up.
Or perhaps not.
She was letting the fate of a man, a man about she cared nothing, make her consider risking her life. This was not who she was. Sable lived for Sable.
Do you? Or is that what you've been told? How do you know what you are?
Go ahead, leave him. And if he dies, what? Do you think you'll be able to shake it off, as though he were a random stranger? He isn't, not anymore, despite what you want to think. He isn't just anybody. He's the man to whom you came closer than ever to telling your secret...he's the man who didn't ask you to tell.
Even if you survive this, you will not walk away with a clean conscience.
If you leave him, you are all they said you are. If you leave him, you buy the lies, you turn them into truth, into how you define yourself. Is that what you want?
Choose.
Even as she battled herself, some part of her had already chosen, for only a moment of hesitation passed before she lunged toward Raphael, grabbing in panic at his shoulders and heaving upwards, straining with all her dubious might to help him up, at least enough that he could pull himself up the rest of the way. Locking her arm muscles, she gasped, "Hold on! Please!" She knew the last word was senseless as soon as she said it. Desperate.
But that was what she was. Desperate. Because if anything happened to him tonight, anything, she felt somehow that the choice between truth and lies would be out of her hands.
Oh gods, if he's dead...If he's dead, it's best to run. Don't look back. Just keep going. But if not...
And so, in a shocking display of idiocy, she stopped - stopped, while a man-eating beast could close the gap between them at any moment! - and turned. And, inexplicably, she felt relief join the rest of her mixed-up emotions as she saw Raphael, certainly in danger, but not dead. Not yet.
He needed her help. He needed her...but she needed herself more, and to rush to his side would be to put herself in danger. Perhaps he could pull himself up.
Or perhaps not.
She was letting the fate of a man, a man about she cared nothing, make her consider risking her life. This was not who she was. Sable lived for Sable.
Do you? Or is that what you've been told? How do you know what you are?
Go ahead, leave him. And if he dies, what? Do you think you'll be able to shake it off, as though he were a random stranger? He isn't, not anymore, despite what you want to think. He isn't just anybody. He's the man to whom you came closer than ever to telling your secret...he's the man who didn't ask you to tell.
Even if you survive this, you will not walk away with a clean conscience.
If you leave him, you are all they said you are. If you leave him, you buy the lies, you turn them into truth, into how you define yourself. Is that what you want?
Choose.
Even as she battled herself, some part of her had already chosen, for only a moment of hesitation passed before she lunged toward Raphael, grabbing in panic at his shoulders and heaving upwards, straining with all her dubious might to help him up, at least enough that he could pull himself up the rest of the way. Locking her arm muscles, she gasped, "Hold on! Please!" She knew the last word was senseless as soon as she said it. Desperate.
But that was what she was. Desperate. Because if anything happened to him tonight, anything, she felt somehow that the choice between truth and lies would be out of her hands.
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Korhos
Korhos saw its prey reacting to its rapid approach and reveled with glee at the panic it sensed. Thick, corded muscles in its hind legs and shoulders propelled it with ease over the railing and with animal grace it landed on the next roof, rushing after its the man who was racing across a narrow ledge on the edge of the steeply slanted neighboring roof line.
And then the ledge crumbled and broke away, the man narrowing avoiding falling to the street with a leap that barely carried him to the next building [much to Korhos's displeasure- had he fallen, he would've been an easy kill].
The woman rushed over and helped pull him up, enraging Korhos further and cementing its desire to feast on her flesh as well.
But the gap was too great for it to jump successfully. Korhos knew that instinctively, and even as it growled and snarled in frustration, its rage did not overcome its logic. It placed a tentative paw on the steeply slanted roof and as soon as it put any weight on it the huge paw slid off, regards off how it tried to grip with its long claws.
Savage, furious, Korhos snarled again and rushed across the roof and leapt the north/south alley it had just come across, back to the clothmaker's building. From there, it ran to the back of the landing with an mighty spring leapt across other alley that that ran east/west, separating this row of buildings from the next row that faced the next street over.
It turned raced along the rooftop, leaping again over the north/south alley, pursing its prey on a parallel route.
Nothing Korhos hunted ever escaped.
And then the ledge crumbled and broke away, the man narrowing avoiding falling to the street with a leap that barely carried him to the next building [much to Korhos's displeasure- had he fallen, he would've been an easy kill].
The woman rushed over and helped pull him up, enraging Korhos further and cementing its desire to feast on her flesh as well.
But the gap was too great for it to jump successfully. Korhos knew that instinctively, and even as it growled and snarled in frustration, its rage did not overcome its logic. It placed a tentative paw on the steeply slanted roof and as soon as it put any weight on it the huge paw slid off, regards off how it tried to grip with its long claws.
Savage, furious, Korhos snarled again and rushed across the roof and leapt the north/south alley it had just come across, back to the clothmaker's building. From there, it ran to the back of the landing with an mighty spring leapt across other alley that that ran east/west, separating this row of buildings from the next row that faced the next street over.
It turned raced along the rooftop, leaping again over the north/south alley, pursing its prey on a parallel route.
Nothing Korhos hunted ever escaped.
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Raphael Quinn
- Outsider
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:02 pm
- Race: Human
Please don't die.
That's what she was saying. She didn't want him to die.
She didn't really have the strength to pull him up onto the roof, but she did have the strength to make him about seventy pounds lighter with her lifting, which was more than enough for Raphael to stop his sliding momentum and get enough of a grip to drag himself up, which consequently ripped off more than a few of the buttons on his dress shirt, much to his momentary distress. But, he had won the shirt in a game of cards. He could win another.
He got one leg up onto the rooftop and awkwardly scrambled up, his breathing heavy and chest sore. That fall had probably almost broken some ribs, and they now made their discomfiture known as he balanced himself with a hand on Sable's shoulder, their proximity very close. Raphael made the effort to straighten and look her in the face, beads of sweat standing out in his forehead.
Now, as before, she was beautiful. To his eyes, the emotion and stress just made her look more alive.
"Thank you."
He said the words a bit breathlessly, but they were as sincere as any words he had ever spoken. It occurred to him that she might have just saved his life.
That was a strange thought.
He heard the snarl again and spun, unconsciously pressing Sable back and standing in front of her. There, on the opposite side of the gap, stood the beast. Raphael watched it test the steepness of the roof that separated them, an alarming show of intelligence. It would not attempt the gap, which at least gave Raphael some indication of its limitations.
And then it turned and rushed back to the clothmaker's, easily clearing the alley and spinning to its left and lunging out of sight.
Raphael did not know exactly what it was doing. But he had no doubt that it was still coming. Somehow, this creature was after either himself or Sable specifically. There was no other explanation for its appearance or behavior.
"I don't know what that thing is," he turned to look at Sable, "but it's not done. We need to move. Now."
That's what she was saying. She didn't want him to die.
She didn't really have the strength to pull him up onto the roof, but she did have the strength to make him about seventy pounds lighter with her lifting, which was more than enough for Raphael to stop his sliding momentum and get enough of a grip to drag himself up, which consequently ripped off more than a few of the buttons on his dress shirt, much to his momentary distress. But, he had won the shirt in a game of cards. He could win another.
He got one leg up onto the rooftop and awkwardly scrambled up, his breathing heavy and chest sore. That fall had probably almost broken some ribs, and they now made their discomfiture known as he balanced himself with a hand on Sable's shoulder, their proximity very close. Raphael made the effort to straighten and look her in the face, beads of sweat standing out in his forehead.
Now, as before, she was beautiful. To his eyes, the emotion and stress just made her look more alive.
"Thank you."
He said the words a bit breathlessly, but they were as sincere as any words he had ever spoken. It occurred to him that she might have just saved his life.
That was a strange thought.
He heard the snarl again and spun, unconsciously pressing Sable back and standing in front of her. There, on the opposite side of the gap, stood the beast. Raphael watched it test the steepness of the roof that separated them, an alarming show of intelligence. It would not attempt the gap, which at least gave Raphael some indication of its limitations.
And then it turned and rushed back to the clothmaker's, easily clearing the alley and spinning to its left and lunging out of sight.
Raphael did not know exactly what it was doing. But he had no doubt that it was still coming. Somehow, this creature was after either himself or Sable specifically. There was no other explanation for its appearance or behavior.
"I don't know what that thing is," he turned to look at Sable, "but it's not done. We need to move. Now."
Life is just a mind game.