Ascension - (Alarian Warriors)

He appeared to be appalled by the idea. “They used fallen soldiers?” He muttered.

She shrugged, not knowing the answer. Pulling the basket of bathroom supplies towards her. “Anyway, thank you. I should get dressed before we go for sustenance.”

Just as she was about to remove the towel Vincent quickly flung to his feet and spun around. Aveyon looked surprised. “Are the scars too much?” she asked curiously.

“On the contrary, My Lady, you are a woman, and I am but a man. It’s only polite not to look while one is changing.” He appeared a bit flustered.

She looked down at herself trying to ignore the scars. Her body was deathly skinny, and the bones could easily be seen pushing against her skin. Unlike humans, a small amount of blood once a month would sustain her, but her outward appearance was that of something out of a ghost story. “You have already seen me naked, suit yourself” she added dryly.

“And on the matter of your scars, I see them almost like a badge of honour, or stripes. They are the mark of what you have survived, what you lived through. Though you may be ashamed of them and the memories, I think they should be worn with pride. They show just how strong you are.” Had he gone too far? he hoped not. If he could help her change the way she viewed herself, the pain may lessen.

“You are babbling.” She had already dressed and was slowly moving toward the outhouses. “Are you coming?” Changing the subject was an attempt to remove the awkwardness. She knew the truth of his words, but it didn’t mean she had to like it.

Vincent lightly jogged to join her. “Have you ever hunted before?”

She shook her head and frowned. “No... I assumed we would have it inside, not...” she trailed off making a disgusted face as she remembered the taste of blood.

“We don’t keep blood on tap.” He laughed lightly. “We need to go to the forest to find something.” He added.

“I wouldn’t even know how to do such a thing, it is simpl-”

“You promised.” He interrupted.

The nerve of this boy! Aveyon narrowed her gaze on him, he had planned this. Not only was he being rude and interrupting her, but honestly, she found it refreshing. He was planning to make her hunt in the woods? Like an animal!?

“I will find you something, you just need to feed.” He could tell she was annoyed at him.

Minutes later, she found herself a few meters from a poor unsuspecting deer. Crouching low to the ground she really didn’t feel good about this. She waited as she had been instructed and Vincent moved in the blink of an eye.

She watched in awe at his flawless technique as he captured the deer with his arms. He quickly apprehended it and forced it to the ground. It tried to struggle but he held it firm, looking up at her he inclined his head towards the animal.

Approaching the animal, she was hesitant to harm it. Am I seriously doing this, rats were one thing, but I didn’t have a choice then. This seems...wrong. Her mind was racing. Why were we cursed like this?

“I’ll stop you if you go too far.” She heard his voice, but her attention was fixated on the deer. Kneeling, she raised a shaking hand to it, lightly stroking its neck. Its sleek fur was soft under her fingers.

Leaning in she held the small knife Vincent had given her before entering the forest. She had refused to use her fangs claiming she was not a savage. She would not be the thing many humans read about in stories.

She made a deep cut on the animal’s shoulder and lent her head down, she drank only what she needed, then pulled back once she felt the animal’s pulse change from panicked to laboured. At that point, she knew she had taken enough. Her self-control surprised her, she’d never fed from a live animal or person before, aside from rats, she’d never even had the chance to try.

“Please heal it, I will calm it.” She told Vincent. She could feel her strength returning straight away as her body adsorbed the blood. She touched her hand to the deer’s neck and closed her eye searching for a way into its mind. It gave her little resistance; she thanked it for its help in aiding with her recovery. She calmed it and told it not to panic; it was safe now and was soon to be released. Vincent made quick work of the small wound.

“You can let her go now.” She advised.

As he let the animal free it didn’t run, Aveyon lightly patted it and the deer nuzzled up against her. She gave Vincent a puzzled look.

“Seems like she might like you.” He slightly laughed in response.

“I... I do not understand, I just hurt it.”

“Maybe she doesn’t see it that way.” Vincent tried to stifle a laugh.

Standing up she took a step away from the animal and it simply followed her. “No, shoo.” She made a few motions with her hands at the animal, but it did not leave her alone.

Finally giving up she sighed and rolled her eye, it continued rubbing itself against her frail form.

“I have done-.” The deer bumped into her a little too hard and she stumbled slightly. “What you asked-.” Again, she was nudged, and growing slightly frustrated she began walking back in the direction that they had come.

“My Lady...” He smiled lightly as she turned to look at him. “It’s that way.” He pointed in the correct direction.

Of course it was, blood may help with her strength but not her sense of direction. All the while the dear followed.

“This always happens...” she muttered, ever since her mother had taught her to connect with animals, they just seemed to grow attached to her after she touched their minds. She heard Vincent’s amused laugh from behind her and another heavy sigh escaped her lips.

They reached the spring again and Vincent said goodnight. The sun was soon to rise so she corrected by bidding him good morning. She saw to the deer and horse, leaving them outside with some food and water, and finally headed inside. She was already feeling stronger, her body was beginning to slowly fill out.

She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the pool one last time. Her cheeks were no longer bony, her breasts also seemed to stand out more, giving her body a slightly curvier appearance. If not for the missing eye and scars she would almost call it a womanly figure.

She headed inside, hurriedly returning to Emeralds’ side. The bed was certainly big enough for both of them. She climbed in, next to the one person she could trust enough to sleep next to.

Aveyon wrapped her arms around the frail elf and buried her head in her thick silk hair, Emerald returned the embrace. They had been together, but never truly able to touch, always separated by bars.

“You’re warm?” Emerald noted surprised, waking up completely.

“I was forced to hunt.” She mumbled in explanation. She buried her head deeper into her friend’s shoulder. Her body had begun to shake, and she felt like she was going to lose all her self-control.

“Your trembling, what happened?” Emerald kissed Aveyon on the forehead, tightening her grip around her frail body.

Aveyon felt heavily ashamed for feeding on the deer, she’d never in her life been able to hide anything from Emerald.

The elf could feel and see the sorrow in Aveyon, the Alarian had suffered more than any of them. The warlock had stopped using the other slaves, Emerald and Aveyon were the only ones that were continuously used like rag dolls towards the end. Treated like pieces of meat. It seemed they had been the favourites; they had once held a great amount of power and the warlock thought it fitting that he had dominated them. Emerald would volunteer when Aveyon was hurt too badly, the warlock would have her promise not to struggle or scream, otherwise he would ‘use’ Aveyon again. So, on many occasions, she’d let him do as he pleased, it was demoralizing.

Aveyon would always have a hard time when the memories came back to her. In all the years that they’d been locked up without him, she’d still had nightmares. To this day she wasn’t able to shake the memories of him, and Emerald knew. It’s not like Emerald had gotten over it either, but she feared she was a far stronger woman at heart than Aveyon was.

“Tell me Ava, what has you so upset?” The Elf whispered.

After taking a deep breath Aveyon explained what had happened in the spring with Vincent. And how she had feared that she could have taken her own life, it scared her that she could do something like that so easily without thinking, it was like she had no control. If anything, she wanted to control her life again, at least until she was done with it.

“My girl, we have both been through a lot, your actions may not have been your own. You are still healing. It will take time for you to return to yourself. Being alone is the hardest, so try not to be alone, okay?” Emerald offered.

“Do not tell me to bathe next time then.” Aveyon huffed in response.

Emerald laughed. “Maybe have Vincent with you more?”

“What! Why?” Aveyon looked up into the elf’s eyes with confusion written on her face.

“You said you are okay around him; he feels familiar and warm.” She paused. “Say, why not tell me about this, Anzel? It may have something to do with that.” She pointed out.

The question surprised Aveyon. “The only thing the two have in common is their face. Their personalities are far from the same, and he smells different.” She pouted not knowing why he calmed her so.

“I don’t believe he is the same man, but there must be a reason for it.” Emerald pushed.

With a sigh, Aveyon complied. “Since my birth, he has always been there. He was appointed to my mother before me, and once I arrived, he was assigned to be my guard. Or rather, he was more of a babysitter to begin with, I used to be a spoiled child and always ran away from him.”

She smiled as good memories filled her. “Mother and I used to work together on new ways to trap him, so we could sneak off and have picnics together. It was not necessary, but it was always fun.” Pausing for a moment, she shifted her weight and positioned herself so that she was only inches from Emerald’s face. Their foreheads touched slightly; she closed her eyes feeling safe.

“But regardless he would always laugh it off, he’d always be there for me if the other children picked on me, or if I hurt myself.” She went on about how she’d grown up with him, the things they’d gotten up to, and how she’d meet Erosvent and all the other Alarian Warriors she was able to remember.

“The day I was sent to earth, he and my mother were the only ones who protested for me, they tried to stop my father. My mother lost her life...” The pain still clenched at her heart even at the mention of it.

After all these years it still felt so raw, losing her. Not a day had gone by that she hadn’t wished to see her, just once more. “But I passed out before anything happened to Anzel. I don’t know if he survived that day. But if Vincent exists as a copy, not a reincarnation... Honestly, It makes little sense to me. What I cannot wrap my mind around is, what would anyone gain from making a being that looks like him?”

“Did you have feelings for Anzel?” Emerald asked.

Aveyon scoffed at the thought, shaking her head, their foreheads rubbing together. “No, I never looked at him that way. Not even when I was grown. He was more of a brother, I cared for him like family, but nothing else.”

“I don’t believe your reaction to Vincent is a bad thing. You feel you already know this man as your guardian, as your protector. He may not be the same, but he did promise to save you, and, in a twisted way, he has.” Emerald concluded.

Aveyon frowned confused, all this talk of Anzel and Vincent. She knew they were different; she could see that clearly, but little things reminded her of Anzel. His kindness, his compassion, his loyalty to the royals... Maybe not that last one, Anzel would never cut her off mid-sentence or even touch her without her consent. No, they were completely different.

Emerald smiled as she nuzzled against Aveyon. “Don’t look so worried, trust your gut feeling.”

“But it is my head that is making me think that this is just too... easy.” Aveyon sighed.

Emerald nodded knowing what she meant. “It doesn’t hurt to be on one’s guard, even around everyone these days, regardless of who or what they are.” She added.

“I guess, it does not matter anyway, all that matters is getting well enough to move forward. I only need to live long enough to find my father.” Aveyon didn’t think before she spoke, the words came a little too quickly and easily.

“You’re still set on not returning?” Emerald asked a sad tone to her voice.

“There is nothing here for me, I have no reason to return. I do not want to live here... not like this. I want to return to the river of souls and be with my mother.” Aveyon couldn’t meet Emerald's eyes.

“You make taking your own life sound poetic, that’s dark Ava.” Emerald placed a shaking hand on her friend’s cheek. “You have plenty of reasons to live again, to find happiness. And what about me? I need you.”

Aveyon hugged Emerald closer. “I do not know if I can be what you need, if anything I need you, you ground me. You keep me strong, without you I would have given up a long time ago. Without you, I would be torn apart by all this. I cannot let anyone else see just how weak I truly am at this moment.” She feared being taken advantage of again, they both did.

Emerald laughed lightly. “And I feel the same about you!”

“Quiet you... Go to sleep, you need rest.” Averting her eyes, it was hard to accept any of the kind words directed at her.

“As do you!” Emerald pulled the Alarian princess closer still. At this point, they were almost plastered together.

Aveyon felt a sick feeling form in her stomach. She wouldn’t lie to Emerald, but she really had no intention of returning once she had killed her father. Her body felt like a tormented hell, one she needed to escape from, death being the only way out... But she couldn’t say that to her friend. No more words were spoken that night as they soon both fell asleep in each other’s arms.