Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Oct 16, 2010 11:56:40 GMT -8
Rio seemed to relax, going so far as to curl up like a cat, and it seemed like the spirit really was gone. Riza let out a shaky sigh of relief, sinking to her knees as soon as she realized that she was trembling. That had scared her badly, not so much the possibility of her death so much as hurting and breaking a promise to Rio.
She crawled over to his unconscious form and rolled him over, carefully plucking the dagger from the boy’s now-ruined eye. A wave of guilt hit her strong enough to make her want to start bawling like a little girl, but she held the tears back. Tears wouldn’t help Rio right now. Riza untied the Mammalian’s scarf, careful not to move him, and tied it around his eye just tight enough to hold the bleeding. The makeshift eye-patch would just have to do, seeing as she had no real medical supplies.
She sat back on her knees again, watching Rio with a small frown. It was odd to see him so utterly peaceful considering what had just transpired. But he did. He just looked like he was taking a nap, not like he had just gotten rid of the angry spirit of his master. “Rio,” Riza said, placing a gentle hand on the daemon’s shoulder, “Rio, wake up.”
Right now any thought of obtaining a reward had been forgotten in favor of her worry. Riza just wanted to know that he was going to be okay. She didn’t think she could handle being the cause of the daemon’s death or even serious injury. Off-handedly, she found this odd. While it was true she had never met someone like Rio before, she knew absolutely nothing about him. She just seemed to be continually helping him with injuries of one nature or another. Perhaps she would ask him sometime.
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Oct 16, 2010 12:31:48 GMT -8
For once, his sleep was light and he did not regret it. It was the first sleep that he had in a long time that was not plagued by dark thoughts. The Master's leave had taken somewhat of a toll on him, but he could feel a little more of his strength and power returning, almost like he had returned to the Dreamlands again. His right eye was still useless, but he wasn't one to complain. It was the price he had paid for keeping a promise and surviving. There was no way he regretted it. Once more, he felt a wave of gratitude towards Riza. Without the cheerful human girl, he might not have been able to make it, neither would he have been able to have a consciousness now. He would have died a long time ago, in fact.
“Rio, Rio, wake up.” The voice drifted in from somewhere far away, it was like a voice calling him from above the peaceful waters in which he resided. He recognized it, it was calling him back up to the surface.
A moment or two later, he opened his eyes--or more correctly, eye. He was aware of a faint throbbing in his right eye, a signal of pain. The first thing he saw was Riza. That made him happy. She had kept her promise, the very promise that he had held on so dearly to. Compared to the other times at which he had regained consciousness before, the fatigue was not there. He struggled up, looking at her. His one eye was perfectly balanced as he had never seen out of his right eye for more than five years. Rio saw Riza's fearful look; she was truly afraid for him. "Riza," He murmured, before he reached forwards and done something that he had never thought of doing before. He wrapped his arms around her, "Thank you... so much. I am indebted to you." He told her softly, completely ignoring his injury.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Oct 16, 2010 12:58:11 GMT -8
Riza broke out into a relieved smile as soon as Rio opened his eye. Then he did something she never would have expected: he hugged her. She blushed furiously for a moment, tensing in her surprise, but then smiled softly and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I was really worried that that wouldn’t work and that I had hurt you for nothing.” She gave a tiny embarrassed laugh. It was good to see that his eye didn’t seem to bother him much, though Riza guessed that most anyone else wouldn’t have been able to handle it quite so well.
"Thank you... so much. I am indebted to you." Riza blinked once. He had promised her a reward, hadn’t he? What in the world would she even ask for? She did know that she really wanted to travel with him, but that didn’t seem so much a reward as a request. And asking about the daemons was something he probably would have told her whether she helped him or not. Then a thought hit her, one that she had been contemplating earlier.
Riza smiled slightly, scooting back so she could look Rio in the face. “I think I know what my reward could be. Could you turn me into a daemon?”
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Oct 16, 2010 13:14:59 GMT -8
“I was really worried that that wouldn’t work and that I had hurt you for nothing.” He pulled away from her gently, glad that she had not rejected his sudden move. However, her worry for him made him surprisingly glad. "My sense of pain is rather dull," He admitted sheepishly. It was yet another side effect of the slave training that he had been part of for the past years of his life.
However, what really did surprise him was Riza's slight confusion. Did she think that he would forget his offer of a reward? Perhaps so, but he was serious. It was not an easy feat to have a curse rid of, yet Riza had managed to do it. She deserved anything that he had the power to give her. He wondered what she would ask of him. He did not know the human girl so well as to anticipate what might have been coming, though when it came, he was completely thrown off.
“I think I know what my reward could be. Could you turn me into a daemon?”
Rio blinked, confused. Turn Riza... into a daemon? A daemon like himself? On a second thought, he had seen slaves that were once human before and had been turned daemon. If they were turned daemon, he could surely turn Riza into one, but how was the question--and why would she want to be a daemon. After a while, he inclined his head. "I could," He told Riza. "However, I do not know exactly how to." After thinking for a while, he added: "I shall find out from Gabriel. He is the daemon lord and therefore he should know." He looked to Riza, unsure if she was ready to meet the daemon lord, "If it is ok. If not, we could always see Calandra?" He suggested.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Oct 16, 2010 13:56:16 GMT -8
Riza smiled slightly as Rio spoke sheepishly. “That’s rather helpful I suppose.” The girl figured it was probably from his training, so she did not question. He seemed pleased right up until she mentioned her wish, to which he looked surprised and more than a little confused.
"I could, however, I do not know exactly how to. I shall find out from Gabriel. He is the daemon lord and therefore he should know. If it is ok. If not, we could always see Calandra?"
Riza blinked. She knew there weren’t a huge amount of daemons in Litharia, but this she had not expected in the least. “Wait,” The girl started, looking confused, “Do you know the daemon lord and his lieutenant personally?” This was an odd revelation, but not quite enough to distract her from her next thought: Just how did one become a daemon? If stories were anything to go by, not much was known except that it was not particularly pleasant. That was kind of a scary thought. She also wondered if it was bad, if Rio would continue with it like he had said.
“Anyway. Rio, where would we find them anyway?” Riza asked, frowning thoughtfully. “I had heard that they both wander all over Litharia.”
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Oct 16, 2010 14:03:42 GMT -8
Rio nodded. Unlike most, he had met both the daemon lord and his deputy the first moment that he had been in Litharia. He even got to duel with Calandra, a feat that not many, apparently, were capable of. "Yes." He confirmed. "I have dueled her." He told Riza, leaving the part about how he had received his position from that very duel. In fact, Riza knew next to nothing about him and he was more than aware of it.
However, Riza's next question was harder to answer. Where? He had met Calandra some days ago in this very forest, and having honed his skills, he was confident that he could find her. Rio nodded. "Stay here," He told Riza gently as he got up. He would not need his weapons for this expedition and speed was the importance here. Stealing away, Rio tasted the air, setting off in the direction he thought that the avian might have been in.
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Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
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Post by Calandra on Oct 16, 2010 14:37:40 GMT -8
Calandra wandered through the Tangle aimlessly. At the moment she was bored out of her mind and she had left Auspice back in the city that she now headed for. All she wanted was some entertainment or some liquor. Preferably both.
Loki drifted alongside her in his light form, having shown up a little less than an hour ago. He had been strangely quiet up until a point where he shifted and dropped weightlessly onto the Avian’s shoulders. “Hey, isn’t that that Mammalian boy? Rio or somethin’?” The wisp pointed a paw off to the right a bit, where a white haired individual with a scarf tied over his head was walking.
Calandra looked up with interest, and slowly nodded. “I believe you’re right, Loki.” She changed her course a bit and sped up, a faint smile playing upon her lips. That smile faded quite quickly as soon as she noticed that the scarf was tied like an eye-patch and it was slightly bloodstained. “Rio,” she said, a look of worry crossing her features, “How did this happen to you?”
Not only was the lieutenant worried for the boy’s health, but if someone or something was strong enough to try and gouge his eyes out, she had reason to be afraid.
Loki let out a low whistle, not an easy feat for a cat, “Someone actually managed to take out your eye? And besides that, you kinda look like shit.” The wisp paused, a curious expression forming on his face. “It smells nice, like flowers...Are you wearing perfume? Or do you have a little girlfriend tucked away somewhere already?” Loki gave Rio a mocking smile.
“I told you that you would find a girl,” He went on, deciding that his hunch was correct.
“Shh.” Calandra hissed at her companion, looking slightly irritated. She turned to Rio, leaning against a nearby tree. “So, what’s going on? You looked like you were looking for something.”
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Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
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Post by Auspice on Oct 16, 2010 21:42:24 GMT -8
((A response, at Jay's invitation. Coz this needs more assassin up in here. : P))
“You know, I was never too keen on Daemons. Right oppressive bastards, with that hierarchy of theirs. You know, a man can’t deal with Daemons without having at least one of them try to use him like property. Look at him, running off on you, maybe he’s getting away because he’s terrified of the kind of woman who gouges your eye out and makes you thank her for it. Sick, that’s the word I’d use. Very sick. I like the style, not in my taste, but entertaining to watch.”
The Shifter’s voice drifted lazily down from a perch in the trees. He’d nested himself rather cozily among the branches, in a spot that would be pretty hard to notice without knowing to look for it. “You know, people never think to look up, do they? I’ve heard that before. Artists look up all the time, don’t they? Painters and suchnot, must be something odd about them.” He dropped, landing on his feet like the flexible little bird-Shifter he was. “Daemons aren’t to my taste, not at all.” The traces of half-form were already vanishing, feathers receding to whatever magical otherland they liked to go to when he was busy looking Human. Auspice never cared to wonder where the rest of him went whenever he shifted. Best not to know, as far as he was concerned.
He offered a hand for Riza to shake. His left on accident the first time, but quickly switched to avoid confusing her.
“Auspice. Pleasure to meet you. Don’t waste yourself on those Daemons, it isn’t worth the hassle. No need to be a Daemon to be different. Personally, I love you Humans. Lovely creatures. Not for everyone, though, so I guess you’d do yourself a favor in the social world by dropping the status. You could make a great Shifter, you know- just wait until a full moon, I’d do it for you myself. Shifters aren’t slaves, right? We’ve got no laws to follow, and we kill the ones who try to impede on that. All very simple. Daemons, on the other hand, are always fighting to get to the top, lose a duel and you’re an instant slave, yah? One slip up and somebody owns you- mind, body, spirit, nothing you can do.” He coughed rather awkwardly and looked back towards where the Daemon had gone. “So I suppose he’s fetching Calandra, then? Let’s hope he’s got at least enough intelligence in that stupid feline head of his to keep her away from you. Yah? We’ll hide if the idiot brings her over. Crazy one, that, I’ve, uh, been sent to try to kill her in the past. Saw what she did to the rest of my group and didn’t even bother showing my face to the lunatic.”
Lies. Total bull, but Auspice wasn’t about to admit his status as a slave right after preaching about the reasons why Shifters were superior to Daemons.
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Oct 16, 2010 23:44:17 GMT -8
There, movement. The mammalian daemon stopped as he recognized the figure that walked towards him. The red-striped Wisp upon her shoulder was more than enough to have him recognize her. By now his injury was more or less forgotten about and was just another part of life.
“Rio. How did this happen to you?”
Rio inclined his head in a sort of greeting, before reaching a hand up to touch the makeshift bandage. It was the second time that his scarf had been bloodied, but he couldn't care less. What he did care about, however, was the fact that Calandra was right in front of him and she was the person he was looking for.
“It smells nice, like flowers...Are you wearing perfume? Or do you have a little girlfriend tucked away somewhere already?” Rio looked at the Wisp, though he did not really comprehend the meaning of the words. "Riza," He decided.
“So, what’s going on? You looked like you were looking for something.” He turned his attention back to Calandra. "Yes," He confirmed her suspicions. "I had promised a human girl a reward for her help... She had rid me of Master's curse," He indicated the ruined eye. "And she... wanted to become daemon." He explained. A small mew made Rio turn around, it was Sieg. The Bastaet was staring meaningfully at him, or more specifically, at the open gash on his arm. Having guessed the Bastaet's intentions, he scooped the creature up for him to lick the blood of the wound again. "Will you come?" He asked her somewhat hopefully.
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Post by Gabriel Jhaedaes Os Tar on Oct 17, 2010 2:14:32 GMT -8
A reply for Gabriel at Echo's invitation XD Gabriel Jhaedaes Os Tar was many things, but something he wasn't was an assassin. It was this particular profession that leant itself to sneaking and surprising whereas Gabriel had never considered it as needing to be added to his skills; Daemons, after all, favoured violent but face to face death matches over a clever stab from behind. However despite his lack of refinement and practice, the Daemon Lord was surprised to find himself in the position of sneaking and surprising.
The chain of events went as thus: Gabriel had found himself with a few spare days before he needed to worry about politics and duty, so he'd decided to check on the progress of his newest recruit. Rio had come to Litharia only a few months earlier so Gabriel wished to check that he was settling in and coming to terms with the Daemon Laws, and his sources had directed him to the Northern Tangle. The Daemon Lord had travelled with due speed to the Tangle and, amid the gloom of Litharia's most dangerous region, found himself more at ease than almost anywhere else. The chaos, the danger; it suited his kind perfectly. Perhaps this was why he found himself perched in a tree, silent and watchful and very much surprised to see Auspice perched only a few metres away.
He'd made for the sounds of other living things so finding a human female among the trunks below was not surprising. Nor was spotting the object of his travels - Rio, and with him Calandra and Loki. Auspice was unexpected though. Was Calandra still towing him around as a slave?
Only a few minutes after Auspice dropped down and began talking to the human, Gabriel followed suit. The hiding and eavesdropping thing wasn't his style, though he did wait for Auspice to finish thoroughly bagging Daemons before joining the two on the ground, landing in a light, cat-like crouch before standing and walking over to Riza and Auspice. "So sorry to interrupt, Auspice, but I thought I should intervene. I hadn't known you'd been 'sent to kill' Cal in the past you see, and I was confused. I was under the impression you were still her slave but if you have pulled an elaborate double cross then I suppose I will have to congratulate you - then remove you as a threat." He delivered this opening speech in a manner that could only be described as a gentlemanly, polite inquiry - this was rather at odds with the faint predatory smile he wore and the cold humour in his eyes though.
"Gabriel," he added by way of brief introduction to the girl.[/font]
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Calandra
Daemon
Sleeper
Game Over.
Posts: 77
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Post by Calandra on Oct 17, 2010 9:08:28 GMT -8
Calandra watched Rio with an unreadable expression for a few moments before giving him a wry smile. “So soon after leading you from the caves, you’ve changed already I see.” The daemoness nodded slightly, indicating that she would follow.
Loki snickered. “Told ya he would find one.” He teased, poking her face. The wisp looked over to Rio with a slightly curious smile, “Soo, what is she? Fae, daemon, shifter, or perhaps a human? Is she cute?”
He would have continued, but Calandra rolled her eyes and tipped him over, causing him to tumble down and land unceremoniously on him feet. Loki glared slightly, but decided to sit down and give himself a thorough groom.
“I’m not sure what this curse was, but I have a few guesses, and if this girl wanted to help you so much she would go to such lengths, she must be something special.” Calandra frowned slightly, “She’ll need that resolve if she truly wants to become daemon. You have no idea how it’s done, do you?”
She began walking in the direction that Rio had come and slowed to a stop, a puzzled expression on her face. She tasted the air for a moment and grimaced, finding that they were not in fact far from where Rio had left the girl. “I smell blood, probably from you, and I smell your girl’s perfume. However, I also caught wind of Auspice and Gabriel.” Calandra pursed her lips, looking thoughtfully through the trees. “Your little Riza will be fine I’m sure, at least with Gabriel there, but it’s really Auspice I’m worried for.” The daemoness snickered, “He hasn’t got a vocal filter and just says whatever pops into his head. Basically to explain it quickly, Auspice is terrified of Gabriel and Gabriel probably still want to kill Auspice.”
The lieutenant picked up pace and motioned for Rio to hurry up.
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Oct 17, 2010 9:26:53 GMT -8
“So soon after leading you from the caves, you’ve changed already I see.” Rio shrugged, a neutral action as to her statement. He himself was unsure if he had changed, though he might have been a little more talkative than before. It was Riza who had forced him to change, and Rio couldn't say that it was for the worse. However, from Calandra's reaction, it seemed that it was for the better therefore he did not complain.
“Soo, what is she? Fae, daemon, shifter, or perhaps a human? Is she cute?” Rio blinked blankly. "Human." He replied, watching as the creature fell to the ground. Even Sieg spared a moment to snort in exasperation before he turned back to cleaning the wound. He should get Riza to bandage it up some time soon before he lost too much blood, which he had not done in too long to remember. He would survive until then. "No, I do not." Rio replied. "That is why I sought you out." He had decided to earn both the deputy's allowance and the knowledge of him being able to turn Riza into a daemon in this one venture, and it was a good thing that he had thought to do so.
“I smell blood, probably from you, and I smell your girl’s perfume. However, I also caught wind of Auspice and Gabriel.” Rio perked up at this, tasting the air and indeed recognizing Riza and Gabriel along with one unknown sense. This must have been the "Auspice" that he heard about. Catching Calandra's drift, he matched her pace, guessing that the sooner they arrived, the better and less chaotic this scene would be. He had no idea what type of creature this Auspice was, but he knew for sure that Gabriel was a daemon. If the daemon lord was angered, the situation would definitely not be good.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Oct 17, 2010 9:39:40 GMT -8
Riza blinked. A man covered in feathers had just dropped out of a tree. That Riza could deal with. But then he started talking and she started to feel a bit less welcoming. She was about to start talking, to start defending herself when a daemon appeared. It wasn’t Rio like she had expected, but a much older daemon, one that she literally had trouble taking her eyes off of. Puzzled by this, she forced herself to look back at Auspice as soon as the man, Gabriel, finished talking.
“You’re kind of an asshole aren’t you?” The girl inquired with an irritable smirk. “Oh, and seriously, become a pigeon? No thanks.” Riza got to her feet and gave the man a tiny, very frosty smile, before turning and walking toward Gabriel. “You must be the Daemon Lord, right? Rio says he knows you, didn’t say how though.” The girl bit her lip, thinking. “He said that Calandra was here and went to get her.” She chuckled a bit, “I never thought I’d meet an important daemon, especially not the Daemon Lord and his Lieutenant in the same day.”
The girl looked up, having remembered something. “Ah yes, I’m Riza Kincaid, Rio’s friend. It’s very nice to meet you. “ Riza looked up and turned around, having heard footsteps. A beautiful female avian strode forward, followed by an odd ball of light and Rio carrying Sieg. The girl smiled slightly in greeting. This must be Calandra, the daemon Lieutenant and Auspice’s master. She held back a snigger at that thought. The pigeon-man had been so intent on his superiority that he hadn’t been able to help leave out the fact that he was enslaved to one.
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Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
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Post by Auspice on Oct 17, 2010 10:33:37 GMT -8
Auspice sighed, hardly able to bring himself to look at Gabriel. With Calandra off elsewhere, he had to be careful about what he said in front of the Daemon. He adjusted his posture to mirror that used by some of the more abused Shifter slave he'd seen in the city, and flat-out apologized. "I haven't been plotting against the Daemon hierarchy, m'lord. It was a simple mistake, a slip of the tongue if you will. No malice was intended."
He turned his attention back to Riza, still thoroughly entertained by her decision to turn into a Daemon. Terrified as he was of Gabriel, he still managed to move on to more interesting topics when they became available. "You know, there's no reason for you to turn into a pigeon. You'd just be a bird, whatever suits you best. Swan, crane, eagle, there are some nice options out there for Shifters with bird shapes." He shrugged, as if admitting that nothing could be done to help Riza's insane need to turn into a Daemon. "It won't be my fault if you end up a slave. I warned you."
He shifted back to his half-shape and scurried up to one of the lower branches of his tree. He didn't feel comfortable standing around watching Daemons crowd in on him. Calandra and Rio's arrival only served to make him jumpier. He sat with his feet dangling, feeling a little better now that he'd gotten some altitude on the group. "Ravens, lovely birds, you'd make a good raven."
He was joined by a ginger crow, which seemed to have been waiting in the tree for him to come back. At the sight of the Bastaet it turned into an equally ginger rat and hid itself in Auspice's hair. Auspice paid the thing no mind, silently hoping Calandra hadn't noticed the addition.
"Oi! Calandra, I wasn't running off or anything, I just got bored in the city. Stuffy and all. Totally looking for you myself, no lie." More lies, but no harm done. Calandra had to be used to Auspice running off on her by now. Otherwise she would have killed him already.
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Oct 17, 2010 11:07:02 GMT -8
"It won't be my fault if you end up a slave. I warned you." Rio's gaze wandered to the shifter as he heard the word "slave" mentioned. If Riza... ended up a slave... under him? It was a rather absurd thought for the daemon to think about. How could he think of Riza as a slave? In his mind, it was physically and literally impossible. He was a slave himself and Riza had done more than he could repay her for; why would he turn her into a slave? All Rio spared the peculiar shifter was a blank look, before nodding to Gabriel as a form of respect. In his mind, that half-bird was nothing more than an intrusion, something that he did not intend to waste his energy on.
Sieg raised his head, letting his eyes wander from Calandra to Gabriel, completely ignoring Auspice. For now, that thing did not pose a threat to him, neither was it worth the attention. Jumping down, he padded over to where Rio had discarded his temporary bandage before picking up and dropping it by Riza's feet, as if he expected her to be the one to bandage him back up again as she had done so before. She was the official healer now.
"Gabriel, Calandra," He addressed both daemons, deciding not to put the moment off any longer. "At Riza's request, might I... turn her into a daemon?" He asked, looking to Riza to see if she would support his request. If she decided that she wanted to back out at this last moment, he would permit her to, for it was her request that he did so. It was her life that was on the line now as he had no idea how to actually turn her into a daemon. However, if she still willed it, he would gladly obliged. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he willed his eye to stop bleeding. It was of no use as it continued bleeding on and on. He knew that he had hurt a delicate spot, but there was nothing to be done about it.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Oct 17, 2010 12:10:07 GMT -8
Calandra smiled briefly at Gabriel and looked up at Auspice, raising an eyebrow. “You were trying to run off again?” She didn’t wait for an answer, instead rolling her eyes and walking toward the girl who must have been Riza. The daemoness studied the girl for a moment and then smiled slightly, looking back to Rio. “She must be a smart kid to figure out a curse in the spur of the moment. Turning her daemon is really not so much up to me so much as you. The process is not pretty.”
Calandra grimaced slightly and started to recite from memory, “Should a daemon drain a human to the brink of death, then feed the human its own blood, that human will become like that daemon.” She glanced first at Riza then back to Rio. “I’ve personally never tried it, but it is indeed a dangerous process. Its part of the reason vampires are so feared, because they are the only ones open about it. Nobody ever stops to think that it applies to all daemons.” Calandra looked at Rio, raising a curious eyebrow, “Are you still willing to do it?”
Loki, ever the drama killer, shifted right on top of Riza’s head. She blinked, slightly confused before reaching a hesitant hand up to feel what it was. Loki chuckled and hopped off, walking slowly around the girl. After his short inspection he shifted just to return to his perch on Calandra’s shoulders. “I approve,” he said in a mocking purr. “She’s quite adorable, if not somewhat flat. And she must be smart if she doesn’t trust Auspice already.” The wisp leveled his gaze at the girl, “I’m Loki darling, this stony young woman is Calandra, and that fat-headed pigeon up there is Auspice.”
Calandra snickered, “My god he called me young. Are you ever going to tell me how old you are?” The wisp smiled gleefully and shook his head. “Well Riza, are you still up for this? It’s a definite change, and by no means a safe one.”
Riza blushed slightly, giving the wisp an incredulous look. His being able to talk was not quite as surprising as the level of sarcasm he used. It was funny, albeit in an irritating kind of way. “I’m still up for it, but only if Rio is. I don’t want to force him to do this.” She glanced down as Sieg showed up with the bandage she had used for Rio’s arm, apparently asking her to bind it again. She smiled slightly, happy the Bastaet had warmed up to her.
Riza picked the cloth strip and made her way towards the daemon boy, stopping next to him to take the injured arm carefully. She tied it as tight as she could without hurting Rio and re-adjusted his scarf as well. It seemed people, and animals, were always hurt when she was around, and she just showed up in time to have to treat the wounds. Hm, perhaps I should learn real medical skills, the girl thought to herself as she smiled at Rio and trotted over to retrieve Chess from where he stared hungrily up at Auspice’s small pet. “So, what do you all think?” [/b][/color][/font]
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Oct 17, 2010 12:31:20 GMT -8
“She must be a smart kid to figure out a curse in the spur of the moment. Turning her daemon is really not so much up to me so much as you. The process is not pretty.” Rio nodded, more absently than consciously, but as Calandra started reciting the process, it fell to a frown. Draining Riza of blood, then letting her drink his own? That certainly did not sound very painless, especially for Riza. If it were him doing it, he would have no qualms, having already suffered numerous injuries.
“I’m still up for it, but only if Rio is. I don’t want to force him to do this.” He looked to Riza, who was followed by a stubborn Sieg and held his arm out for her to re-tie the bandage. Once she was done with that, she readjusted the scarf around his eye as well. "Thank you," He replied, glad that she was there, not for the first time either. Down lower to the ground, the Bastaet, once making sure that Rio's wound was taken care of, shot behind his left leg and sat stonily, like a shadow of sorts. Rio frowned, definitely more concerned about Riza. Though he was rather good with wounds, he wouldn't consider his skill anywhere near Riza's.
While the confusion about that point whirled around his head, he did manage to grasp several points: He had never backed down from any promise that he had made and he owed Riza and would do it. If she was to die, it would be better that he bear the grief than cause her to do so. Having made that much of his mind up, he turned to Riza. "I am willing." He confirmed, though a spark of worry did ignite. It had to be fine. If not, Sieg would still be there to at least grant Riza rest.
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Post by Gabriel Jhaedaes Os Tar on Oct 17, 2010 15:35:24 GMT -8
Gabriel remained silent and still, save for greeting his deputy and Rio with a short nod and smile, as an explanation was given for the rather absurd gathering they had here. He still had questions of course - the curse of Rio's, who Riza was and how they had met and so forth, but none of the questions were pressing enough to prevent discussion of the most significant matter - much to Gabriel's interest, the girl wanted to become a Daemon.
Gabriel of course was the first to sing the praises of his beautiful, violent race - quite the anti-thesis to Auspice in that regard, who not unfairly seemed to be the first to do the opposite. It really was a shame the Shifter had lost his temper and insulted Gabriel so seriously as this was tantamount to a challenge in the Daemon world, and a challenge was normally followed by a fight to the death. Only Calandra's wishes prevented Gabriel from repaying Auspice what he was due, but if it wasn't for that old grudge he might have been able to appreciate the wicked sense of humour the Shifter possessed. Still, no great loss. Daemons were good at holding grudges and Gabriel wasn't about to forgive the insult in any great hurry.
Still, for all their admirable qualities the Daemons certainly had their flaws - serious, life altering flaws perhaps, because the girl seemed relatively innocent, even sweet. Very very few Daemons could claim either of those descriptions. Nonetheless, the Daemons prized free will above anything else and if Riza wanted to take the risk then that was her decision. Gabriel would not stand in her way, nor Rio's.
"The changing of other species into Daemons doesn't fall under the Daemon Laws, so long as Riza is not a threat to us by being a political heavyweight of the other species. But as I have a personal acquaintence with the human royals, your way is clear as far as I'm concerned. Rio, you will be responsible for teaching her the Daemon Laws but aside from that, once the change is complete you are as much one of us as any other, and all normal rules and benefits apply." The Daemon Lord grinned lazily, approaching Riza and Rio - it was not his place to control them, but he could offer advice.
"I am the Daemon Lord, yes, and Rio holds the position of the Strongest Fighter of the Daemons. This makes him an advisor to me, and in terms of hierarchy below only myself and Calandra." It seemed Rio hadn't gotten around to explaining much to Riza, but it was only fair she knew what - or who - she was getting herself into before the change.
To Rio he added; "Drain her blood from any of the pulse points; wrist is slower and more painful but you will be able to judge when to stop a bit more easily, throat is much faster but there is a higher risk of killing her in the process. She needs only a little of your blood in return, it is easiest to make a horizontal cut along your wrist for that purpose." True to his position Gabriel was well-informed about these matters, although he'd never changed anyone himself. His half-breed status meant a much higher risk of death for the recipient.[/font]
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Auspice
Shapeshifter
Awakened
Posts: 100
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Post by Auspice on Oct 17, 2010 18:39:10 GMT -8
Auspice laughed when he heard the recommended course of action. "Sounds painful. Incredibly painful. Technically, I would only have to bite you, you know. None of this blood-letting, no drinking blood nonsense, it's a lot cleaner for us Shifters. Just a quick, well timed bite." No wonder the Humans were quick to keep their distance. They probably thought they'd be turned into all manner of beasts at the drop of a hat.
"I wasn't trying to run off. Not permanently. I was bored, you were off... I don't even know what you were doing, so I thought I'd spend some time on holiday as well. The Island's very nice this time of the year." He winked at Riza, it was just another advantage to being a Shifter. Your own private island prone to erupting and taking all of your belongings with it.
Gripping the branch with his fingers, he leaned forward on the branch a bit. "If you do decide to turn her, can I watch? I suppose there ought to be a non-Daemon around to defend her honor anyways- I know how your kind is about blood. Total monsters. We wouldn't want you losing control and eating the poor dear." He kicked his feet in silence for a moment, before adding "But if you try to kill me in some blood-crazed mob, I think I'll just leave her. Fair warning."
He was quite for a few more seconds before deciding to add a bit more, just in case she went through with it. "Do the neck. It's bound to be more fun to watch. Besides, she's your girlfriend. You know. Wrist would be a lot less fun."
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Oct 21, 2010 13:24:28 GMT -8
"I am willing." At this Riza was happy, but a strong feeling of nervousness felt as if it would engulf her. She knew that she wanted to do this, she even knew why, but that didn’t change the fact that it was dangerous and she was risking her life. The girl bit her lip and nodded, turning to look at Gabriel as he spoke.
She was definitely of no particular political power, though it was surely a possibility were she to return home. Though being daemon and going back was probably equivalent of a death wish anyway.
"I am the Daemon Lord, yes, and Rio holds the position of the Strongest Fighter of the Daemons. This makes him an advisor to me, and in terms of hierarchy below only myself and Calandra."
Riza blinked. Was that how Rio knew Gabriel and Calandra? The girl would have never thought that she had been with such an important daemon, especially considering he wasn’t too willing to tell about himself. She supposed it made sense though, considering their first meeting and how he seemed to take violence in stride. Gabriel began to speak again and what he said brought up her previous fear once again.
” Drain her blood from any of the pulse points; wrist is slower and more painful but you will be able to judge when to stop a bit more easily, throat is much faster but there is a higher risk of killing her in the process. She needs only a little of your blood in return, it is easiest to make a horizontal cut along your wrist for that purpose."
Riza silently cursed whichever god or being came up with the process and nodded grimly. Neither sounded much better than the other, but it had to be done if she was to go through with this. She was about to answer when she noticed Auspice laughing from in the trees. The girl glared, “Like I said, asshole.” She turned to Calandra somewhat curiously, “Why the hell do you keep him around? Is he always like this?”
Calandra sighed. “Auspice you’re being quite a bit crueler than usual. It’s obvious that the girl has made up her mind, trying to scare her is just annoying.” The daemoness gave him a pointed look, choosing to ignore the animal she had seen.
Loki cackled, “In other words: shut up dumbass, you really don’t need any more influential people who hate you.” The wisp looked at Gabriel, then at Rio. “The kid is obviously head-over-heels for the little girly here, and she clearly hates your guts. Imagine what would happen if she asked a certain young mammalian to dispose of a certain loudmouthed pigeon?” Loki shrugged, “It would be a shame to lose such a wonderfully irritating individual for such a pointless issue.”
Calandra rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Riza, “Does that answer your question?” She looked up at Auspice and gave him a feral smile. “I may keep Gabriel away from you, but there’s no chance in hell that I would step between an entertaining slave and the strongest fighter. Just remember that one.”
Riza frowned. When she had imagined the daemon hierarchy, it had been nothing like this. They laughed, they joked, they were very sarcastic, and they seemed for all the world like a normal group of travelers. But each of them, with the obvious exception of Auspice, were just about anything but.
“That answers my question perfectly, thank you.” She thought for a moment before pointing to Loki, “I like him. I always heard that will-o’-the-wisps were far more serious, but it seems that rumor was wrong.” Riza glared back to the tree in which Auspice sat, “Him, on the other hand, I want nowhere near me when I’m being turned. Whatever you do, please don’t let him watch.”
The girl looked over to Rio, “I’m ready when you are, please just choose which pulse point you’d rather use.” Her face was grim, but determined. As terrifying as this was, she had decided on it and she was not going to turn back now.
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