Visions of Beyond

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi nodded,he'd follow Amaya as they walked along heading to the gardens..Katsumi smiled..

"We have a large garden at our manor..Adio,Adrian and Claudia take care of it..Well,now a days Adio takes care of it..Just as it takes care of him.."


He said,the smile remained as he looked around..



"We have a Bonsai tree too amongst other various flowers and other things..We grow quite a few different variations of roses too..it's the family flower."


He laughed softly and nodded..


"..Such beauty of gardens never seems to leave,even during cold times like this there's always a special look to everything."


He said rather confidently..He canted his head staring back out over the garden.
In Cold Blood..
He ran his tongue crossed the top/inside of his mouth trailing off for a bit before he shook his head looking back to Amaya.


"It's a shame for such a large loss,I'm sorry to hear about that even now."


He said softly..

[Kirin]

"Maybe one day, I'll be able to see the garden with my own eyes. Her Benevolence has mentioned the Viora garden before. She told me that Claudia-sama was like a teacher to her." Amaya smiled.

Chizuru spent time at the Viora Manor with Claudia, learning the more "womanly" pursuits in life.

"We honor many, many flowers. Chizuru had a few rose bushes planted here in the castle. Do you want to continue? There is something special I wish to show you. Simply because Her Benevolence asked me." Amaya bowed, then walked to the doorway. Once Katsumi was ready, she opened the shoji and waited for Katsumi. "Chizuru-sama holds great stock in the art of the cha-no-yu. She wishes for me to teach it to you. The cha-no-yu is the tea ceremony. I will take you to the tea house."

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi nodded..

"Claudia is a wonderful teacher,very patient..The garden is such a wonderful place,but also very mysterious as well...that's wonderful Chizuru-chan planted Roses..such pretty flowers.."

He said softly then turned,nodding.

"Oh,of course I apologize..gardens always catch my attention like this."


He laughed softly and followed Amaya.

[Trydian]

Trydian scaled the walls of the castle, stopping to catch his footing and watch for movement below and above. His senses were on overdrive that night. This place jolted something in his memory, but only briefly. Wearing his heavy robes, he blended in with the castle almost effortlessly. Guards were unaware of his movement and his advancement, which is what he had been calculating since his arrival. The occupants would be having their meals and going out into the lush gardens. He could hear the excitable voices carry, his pointed ears twitching for hidden meaning in the words.

Stopping underneath a screened window, he noted the curved figure in the room. It was definitely female, her beauty catching him momentarily. Trydian had been keeping his presence hidden, cloaked with his ego. He had to concentrate on the mission. The demon was after a very precious sword, which was guarded in the castle walls. Leaping to the other side, he grappled with the edge of smooth stone and threw his weight against the window.

Trydian was in a small chamber room, adjacent from the throne room. Chizuru would immediately hear the chaos that ensued upon his arrival. Fists, swords and words would fly, mixed with the colors of his robes. Brilliant blood, would paint the lacquered case, like some dark mozaic. Thrusting a blade into the side of an oncoming guard, he felt the breath leave the man and his body sink against him. There were still two guards left. Crouching against the fallen body, he thrust his body in the air, keeping in mind the positions of the guards.

With the pained cry of the first guard, he knew his blade had rooted itself in the guards neck. Spinning in one rapid motion, Trydian thrust his blade into the gut of the second guard. Steel flashed for a single moment, until his bloodied weapon became embedded in its sheath. Six bodies were littered around him. Trydian seemed to ignore that fact, or maybe he had become numb from previous experiences.

Either way, he enjoyed the silence that followed. The scent of blood only fueled him, the natural effects invigorating the demons senses.

There could not be error. Blood covered his hands, clothing and stained the floor, in a vibrant macabre reminder, of the assassins place in the world. Since becoming bound to King Pendaran, Trydian found himself performing darker jobs, but he had little to risk these days. He knew that Cambria would already be accomplishing his task, while he defiled the sacred room.

Slowly walking toward the lacquered case, he held his breath. So much had been planned for this moment, that he allowed himself to build up his ego. Carefully removing the sword, he felt something in him change, but he wouldn't have time to relish in the new revelation.

The footsteps of guards made him move for his exit, which had in fact been the very same way he had entered. Allowing his presence to be felt, he entered the mind of Chizuru, feeding her images of the dead guards and the motion of him taking the sword.

Trydian was challenging her and letting her know that he feared no soul. With a perfunctory bound, the demon ambled to the next rooftop, watching with a fervid pleasure at the chaos he created.

[Shin]

It had been surprising at first, the tingling sensation that slowly turned into a burning feeling coursing threw his body. It was an unmistakable feeling for Nicoli, the kind that made his stomach churn from a sense of overwhelming hatred. Four years of torture at the hands of such creatures had made Nicoli keenly acute of their presence, he had their blood coursing through his veins and it had tainted him. Forever turning his eyes a deep black was only one of the constant reminders he had that he was different, that he didn’t belong. He blamed the demons for that.

Nicoli abandoned his mark that night, instead he turned back towards the shadows. He seemed to vanish under their embrace, the young man he was sent to kill completely oblivious to how close to death he just came. Nicoli slid along the wall, crouched low and always in the shadows. He turned down narrow alleys and stay away from the rooftops so as not to be silhouetted against the backdrop of the sky.

It was impossible to tell exactly how close to this demon he was, after so long the presence of the creature was all he had to go off of, but even that couldn’t pinpoint its exact location. Pausing to center himself and gain control of his rage Nicoli dropped a hand on the short sword at his side, he took a deep breath and focused on his enhanced senses.

There. His mind screamed, the feint scent of blood drifted on the night breeze. It was some distance off, but the metallic smell couldn’t be anything else.

With a practiced grace Nicoli moved through a side street, padded feet touching the ground with nearly no sound. He moved painstakingly slow, the smell radiated from above him now. His black eyes searched for a way up the building that would be quick and silent, after a moments decision Nicoli found his path.

The alley was narrow enough for Nicoli to brace himself between the two walls, once there he carefully walked his way up. Moving one hand than a foot, than the other hand and foot. After a minute of climbing Nicoli pushed off with one foot and swung his body so that he could grasp the ledge with both hands, he paused and listened. He heard nothing but the smell of blood and the feeling was still there.

Ever so carefully he pulled himself up over the edge, his corded muscles moving with precise and controlled movements. He paused once on the roof, his body crouched and just barely in the shadow of the taller building behind him. His abyss like eyes spotted the target and despite the things appearance, that of a man, Nicoli could feel what the creature was.

“What are you doing here, demon?” Nicoli asked, his voice a rough whisper, his cowl pulled low to hide his facial features and his cloak pulled around him to hide the weapon he was gripping. “You’re kind is not welcome here.” He added, rising menacingly from his crouch.

[Kirin]

Chizuru was wasting time, practicing her calligraphy. Things were quiet and it was another peaceful night. She thought of Katsumi's return mostly. Her heart was racing, but at the same time, she was unsure if things would be the same between them. Not after ten years time. She had changed so much, but he remained the same. Her fingers quivered as she drew the character representing the Celestial Hare. She saw him before she heard what happened. Grabbing her two swords, just blades handed to her from her uncle, she ran towards the saferoom. Her body guards and the guards of the Imperial Treasures had been murdered and the lacquered box was ajar.

Squinting her eyes, she could now see that Trydian was making his getaway.

"Damn it!" She yelled. He had the Kusanagi. Oh well, at least he didn't have the Magatama. She saw the lacquered box the jewel was kept in was still locked. The Kusanagi was relatively useless without the Magatama.

Chizuru tilted her head upwards. She ran up the stairs quickly as guards scrambled to their stations. Chizuru was attempting to meet Trydian at the highest point she could. Adrenaline pushed her to one of the highest towers and she lept down to the castle wall. Surrounding the castle was just a massive moat that seperated the city from her palace. She didn't recognize Trydian right away. The castle itself, though, was like a village between stone walls and only the servants and her closest companions lived within its walls. Chizuru was quick.

"Archers!" She yelled.

The Empress heard Nicoli and she paused breifly. Was this a foreign war?

Meanwhile, in one of the courtyards, Amaya looked up and ushered Katsumi into one of the teahouses. "Please, come inside. It is far too dangerous outside. You have to crawl in. It is purposefully made that way for the cha-no-yu."

Amaya crawled in after Katsumi, wanting to protect him first before herself.

[Trydian]

His sensitive ears picked up the cry of Chizuru, followed by the sound of the archer's pulling back their bows. So, that was why his memory nagged at him. Trydian knew that voice well, their relationship a small moment in his past. While it had been brief, their encounter had made an impression on the demon.

Strangely enough, Chizuru had welcomed his family into her kingdom. She had even served him tea and prepared their meals. Chizuru had accepted him without judgment. With that final thought, he noted the being presenting himself to him. His essence bothered him like a poison. The man was not demonic, but something entirely bastardized.

Nicoli was blocking his only way of escape, making his next choice of action complicated. In an artful motion, Trydian unsheathed both swords, and presented the tips of the blades toward the ground. “I surrender, dark cousin. Let the empress punish me, as she sees fit.” Trydian kneeled and crossed the blades in front of him. If Nicoli considered attacking, he could easily defend himself in a swift motion.

Feign that you have defeated me and play the hero. The sword in my other hand is powerful, but the magic is only released with a sacred jewel. That jewel is still in the castle. If we work together, we can easily defeat them from the inside. You are free to have whatever you want, I only require the sword to bring to my master.

Trydian was unaware of what other riches lay in the castle. Nicoli would be a fool to attack him, when the archers might consider him a threat as well. The man's chest would be full of arrows in mere seconds.

This place is also home to a vampire. I can feel them...they are very close. Do you think you can handle her army, a full demon and a vampire all at once? Think of the benefits from joining me and gaining the trust of the empress.

Hearing the archer's tension slightly withdraw, he waited for the response from Nicoli. Nicoli was an odd creature, something he had never encountered before. It was best to try to win him over, rather than make a new enemy.

Silently, he apologized to Chizuru, but they were words he didn't share with her. He would have to explain everything to her, but he doubted she would understand his position.

[Shin]

The rush and commotion that the demon pulled in its wake was not lost on Nicoli, it was unfortunate however. He preferred working without time constraints and in battlefield of his choosing, such was the way of Nicoli, a man known as D’Angelo by some. He grinded his teeth and let out a low feral growl, it wasn’t easy holding every muscle in place, restraining himself from descending on the demon.

The approach of the female had not been lost on Nicoli either, she was either incredibly brave or foolish. Perhaps both he mused. Or maybe she hadn’t the slightest clue that the bumbling thief was a demon? Regardless, the job had been sloppy and it irked Nicoli on a professional level. He was careful to keep his face hidden so when he moved his hands, hidden under the depths of his cloak, neither the demon or the female would be aware of his movements. He knew the demon would likely smell the small amount of blood that he was about to spill, but it’s effects would no doubt be lost on the man.

Nicoli used made a small incision on his palm by dragging it across the hilt of his long sword. He then concentrated and willed the blood magic into action. The effects would be subtle, all still hidden, but the end result would be one only known to Nicoli.

“And what do you plan to do about your unwanted visitor?” He asked, his voice slightly higher pitch and more musical than before. He pulled the cowl of his cloak back than revealing a strikingly handsome looking man with piercing blue eyes and long blonde hair that was braided and held back behind his ears, spilling down to just below his shoulders. This was not the man either would have seen moments ago, but rather the effects of the blood magic that Nicoli used. It was no illusion either, but a physical change that was very painful, but one he had been forced to become accustomed to in his profession.

The mental intrusions were certainly unwelcome and Nicoli’s right hand gripped the long sword all the tighter, knowing it would protect him should the demon decide to attack his mind. Still, the dilemma that the thing presented to Nicoli put him in a tight spot, he had no choice but to play along for now and hope that he could position himself in such a way later to strike down both creatures. If he could even get a small sample of the demons or vampires blood …. That thought brought a truly cruel smile to the otherwise handsome features of Nicoli and he only nodded his agreement to the creature, his eyes flickering to the gathering archers and soldiers that had no doubt answered the women’s call.

[Katsumi Viora]

Meanwhile, in one of the courtyards, Amaya looked up and ushered Katsumi into one of the tea-houses. "Please, come inside. It is far too dangerous outside. You have to crawl in. It is purposefully made that way for the cha-no-yu."

Amaya crawled in after Katsumi, wanting to protect him first before herself.

The quiet happy time had come to an abrupt and sudden stop..
Katsumi could hear the commotion and then..

The smell of blood...


Katsumi's eyes flickered as an overwhelming sense of hunger wrenched at his stomach..Hearing the crys of Chizuru ordering about the others only seemed to worsen not his hunger but his overall anxiety at the moment.


"Chizuru.."


Her name escaped pursed pale lips as he turned,amber eyes piercing through the darkness taking in everything immediately as if the sun was above him and illuminated all from him to see without problem..and then..


"Please, come inside. It is far too dangerous outside. You have to crawl in. It is purposefully made that way for the cha-no-yu."


Katsumi's head turned looking at Amaya..His stomach churned..
The smell of the blood and the onset of even the small amount of human food/drink he had consumed
ate at him..He pressed a hand briefly to his stomach before he quickly made his way to where Amaya had instructed him to go to,his wings folded flat against his slender yet built frame as he made his way into the building..


{I can't go to help,it sounds as if the fighting has ceased but even I don't know the outcome..this isn't like back at my home..If I show up and do far too much then what little I've already shown....I'll be picked out,they'll know what I am..}


He watched Amaya enter in he moving back to stay away from the entrance he'd lean or sit down on anything he could that was close as hunger and nausea set in once again,ripping at his insides..
Katsumi did his best,trying not to show how uncomfortable he felt..


{Does Chizuru even remember what I am?..}



He couldn't remember,he couldn't think straight right now..


{Drumbeats..}


Katsumi looked around for a moment then realized..they weren't drumbeats..
He could hear Amaya's and the others heartbeats..
He took a shaky breath in trying to zone out the subtle but distracting noise as he looked back
at Amaya..
Occupy yourself..Don't linger on the feelings..
Katsumi hated this,he hadn't been one to ever have such bad cravings,so why now?
Occupy yourself..Don't linger on the feelings..
Katsumi fell back into reality.


"What is going on?..Such a commotion I didn't know what to do with myself..is everything alright?"



He asked,genuinely worried but mostly for Chizuru's safety of course.
(Why couldn't I have gone and helped..Instead of stuck here putting Amaya's life at risk..}
Occupy yourself..Don't linger on the feelings..
The thought crossed his mind again and he focused back on Amaya.

[Kirin]

Amaya turned to Katsumi. "I don't really know what is going on." She whispered. "I am to keep you safe and I will not fail my Empress." Amaya bowed.

Amaya was ignorant as to what Katsumi was. She didn't care either. Katsumi was an honored guest and she was solely in charge of his safety. "I'm not going to lie to you and say that she is not in danger, but if you go out there, the archers will fill you up with arrows and not even care. So just be patient."

There was no tea in this tea house. It was undecorated and unfurnished. Amaya sat patiently, looking down at the floor just in front of Katsumi calmly. She was silent, listening to hear what Chizuru was saying.

Chizuru ran quickly and slowed until she was just a sword's length away from the back of Trydian's head. She unsheathed her katana and her wakazashi slowly. Her breathing was heavy as she looked down at Trydian, examining him.

"Mine." She said simply about Kusanagi. The sword would immediately become extremely heavy to lift and extremely hot to the touch.

"The punishment for thievery in this land is death by beheading." She said in a flat voice. "The light of the Kirin will bind you." She said in a quiet voice. Light escaped from what seemed to be her lips and wrapped around Trydian's arms, pinning them to his body, if he did nothing to avoid the spell.

Chizuru knelt down next to Trydian and leaned in closely to his ear, looking at the Kusanagi. "It's a shame. Your family has offered us great aid in a time of need." She whispered in his ear.
The Empress stood, pressing the tip of her katana to Trydian's neck. "This man is guilty of treason and the theft of Imperial property. What do you have to say for yourself?"

The last third of what Trydian was told stood next to him, pressing the tip of her katana to his neck. The Magatama was useless without the power of someone like the Empress to unlock it. And the Kusanagi was useless without the Magatama.

[Trydian]

“Chizuru--”


Trydian couldn't speak, the light entered his body like a liquid hot fire. Because his hands were bound, he would not be defending against such an attack. The attack was invasive, controlling his body and even his mind. Something intimate was happening, but on a grandeur scale. Trydian's soul was literally being reforged by the empress.

King Pendaran's magic was absolute in his world, but Trydian was in Chizuru's realm now. With his body riddled in pain, he felt his senses collapse. There was no time to warn Nicoli about the attack, or what would happen to the demon. From Nicoli's view, it might appear that she was in fact killing Trydian.

Remembering the last words of Chizuru, Trydian felt her magic pull like some ethereal force. Choking the last breath of him, the magic bound him under a strict contract. Chizuru could summon him, or beckon for his presence, given her new authority over the demon. Trydian would be obligated to protect her, or feel her wrath all over again.

This complicated everything, especially after the deal he had struck with Nicoli. He wondered where loyalties lay, but his sharp mind didn't have to second guess.

Trydian gained a painful consciousness, but he could never hate Chizuru for her action. The one characteristic that he was attracted to, was her strong will. Chizuru was easily displaying what she was capable of, even when faced with a demon she had once trusted.

No longer feeling the bind to King Pendaran, he wondered what changes his body would undergo, now that Chizuru had control. With a painful breath, he spoke to her, his hands still bound.

“I serve you, empress Chizuru.” Trydian shared a knowing glance with her, one that had been given to her in the past. Chizuru had a way of breaking the demon down. It would take days to heal, especially after the brutal force that wrecked his body and soul.

Glancing toward Nicoli, he privately shared words. Sorry, friend. It looks like our plans have changed. With a familiar grin, that Chizuru would recognize, he spoke to her with a shaky tone. “Looks like you haven't changed, empress. You're still the woman I remember...as for my family, I no longer consider myself a Xanathi.” Considering the new circumstances, Trydian would gladly take on a different name. Maybe this new bind had changed something in his blood- he could only hope.

[Shin]

For a man that prided himself in hiding his emotions he clearly showed his disappointment when the demon went down without so much as lifting a finger. He had almost ready to honor the deal, at least for a short while, that he had made with the thing and now he figured the pitiful creature was barely worth his time. Instead his hauntingly blue eyes shifted to the women that was the cause of the demons pain, a faint smile tugging at the side of his lips.

He was silent when she addressed him, knowing that he could escape before the archers could loose a volley at him. Still, why run if he could turn this into a potential gain? “I have nothing to say for myself, nor do I need to. Except I should thank you, I planned on killed that creature at your feet. But, a life of slavery better fits his kind.” Nicoli’s words were like acid when he spoke, he held a clear disdain for such creatures.

“Now what do you plan to do about the vampire that is somewhere within your ranks? Another slave perhaps?” His lips pursed together as the word vampire, it was all he could do to keep his teeth from baring in anger. He gripped the hilts of two of his weapons under the folds of his cloak, his knuckles white.

Empress. Nicoli looked to the creature on the ground and then to the women again. “Well this night is just full of surprises.” He commented, though he didn’t so much as bow in her direction. “That must be an item of importance to warrant such…direct action.” He flashed a smile and took a step back towards the edge he had climbed up. It didn’t seem that there was much of a need for him anymore, especially if there was other creatures to hunt.

[Katsumi Viora]

Amaya turned to Katsumi. "I don't really know what is going on." She whispered. "I am to keep you safe and I will not fail my Empress." Amaya bowed.

Amaya was ignorant as to what Katsumi was. She didn't care either. Katsumi was an honored guest and she was solely in charge of his safety. "I'm not going to lie to you and say that she is not in danger, but if you go out there, the archers will fill you up with arrows and not even care. So just be patient."

There was no tea in this tea house. It was undecorated and unfurnished. Amaya sat patiently, looking down at the floor just in front of Katsumi calmly. She was silent, listening to hear what Chizuru was saying.

Katsumi stayed back.
With his sensitive hearing,he could hear the others voices outside,against the volley of rhythmic heartbeats..
His head canted in almost a bird like fashion,his smooth black hair shifting to one side as a thin smile crept along his face.


"It takes more then arrows to kill me,but I will follow your orders."



He said softly as the smile remained on pale pursed lips..
He sighed softly,listening to what was going on..Amber eyes calmly staring toward the entrance as he concentrated.
His wings shifted slightly as a soft laugh was heard.


"....Well goodness,I didn't think there was anyone around who could pick me out so easily like that one did..and a slave of all things that one comes up with?..How disgraceful.."


He said smoothly then shrugged brushing a bit of his hair from his face.


"Ah,but oh well..I have no ill intentions here."


He added after a moment,looking back to Amaya..

[Kirin]

There was a moment of confusion in Chizuru's gaze as she watched Trydian undergo every phase of his transformation. Chizuru lowered her sword and sheathed it. She walked calmly to the Kusanagi and picked it up.
"You're in the right hands now." She spoked to it as though it were sentient, but all it was just a large, sharpened bone from a dragon's tail.
Chizuru smiled down at Trydian with a slight blush. "We have work to do still, old friend."

Nicoli grabbed her attention. Slaves? What did he think this was? The Valley? Chizuru's face displayed only a slight expression of contentment at Nicoli's assumptions. Chizuru had some sort of plan for
Trydian. She had a plan for Katsumi. Granted, Katsumi's fate was a little bit blurrier than Trydian's. She also had Amaya, and the two vying for Shogun. Pieces were falling into place. Nicoli did not want to make an enemy of her. With all the people vying for the Empress' favor, he would be in a tough spot. Not only that, but the Empress was more than happy to take care of issues herself.

"You must be mistaken." She said happily. "I do not keep slaves. Slaves are useless. Slaves are a risk. Trydian is a soldier. Perhaps one day, he will become something great. Fate is not written in stone like that. You should learn to control your temper and watch where you leap. Perhaps it is easier to go out through the entrance, neh?"

What wasn't surrounded by water was bordered by a steep cliff. And what wasn't bordered by water or a steep cliff was the drawbridge and the common way in and out.

"That vampire? Oh, he's going to be my brother soon." She giggled. "My sister is marrying his father. So... Hmmm... That would technically make him a nephew. Oh, dear. A nephew older than I am. How awkward, neh? You wouldn't harm a family member in my home, now would you?" She figured he would. "He's right over there. I warn you though. If you poke that tea house, you'd be poking a hornet's nest."

Amaya listened quietly. She began to act by moving around the tea house. She looked at Katsumi. "Laugh as though you are having a good time. Laugh like I am telling you a story."

She began to sing a raunchy song in her language and loudly. Amaya began to dig up smoke bombs and place them in the middle of the room.

"Just in case, Katsumi-sama. By the way, there is nothing saying that you have to obey Chizuru's order. If you want to leave this house, you can go. I won't stop you. Hell, I will join you." She whispered with a drunken sounding giggle. Her eyes showed that she was alert and they also showed that she was more than just an ordinary maid. "Now, I am going to disappear for a moment. You leave this tea house when you see fit. I am watching you. You will not see me."

She immediately vanished, but her laughter and singing were heard in the room. It was a simple illusion.

[Trydian]

Trydian smirked, feeling his strength and arrogance return. Chizuru brought something out in him. Twisting his wrists, the bindings snapped. The binding was different with Chizuru, considering the Hell that King Pendaran had put him through. Then again, this woman could bring him to his knees with her grace. Trydian would have no issues defending this woman and her kingdom. He might even consider the vampire as an equal, but that would take time.

Shaking his head, he listened to Nicoli, silently grateful for his current circumstance. Even though Nicoli was a dark cousin, he thought of him as a lesser being- even lesser than the vampire. “That must be a pathetic vampire, if he is a slave to a human.” Not that it would really be punishment. He could feel her uneasiness, Nicoli was an odd being and one not to be trusted. Just from their past conversation, he knew what Nicoli was capable of scheming.

Perking his ears, he was surprised that she called him a soldier. In the past, she had mostly called him colorful words. Something was changing between them and maybe the binding was to blame. He felt obligated to her, but out of his own free will, even if they were contracted with each other. Unlike protecting Sebilla, she could defend herself. Hell, she controlled an entire country. Sebilla could barely dress herself without injury.

Wanting to let go of those memories, he forcibly made her pay attention to him. In one brief motion, their lips touched in a passionate kiss. The action would shock her, but it would make his senses content. Pulling away from her, Trydian realized his dire mistake. Kissing the empress would mean certain punishment, but he would welcome that.

“I'm sorry, Chizuru..” His apology was informal and personal. Now that she held control over him, he wondered what the situation would become back home. Chizuru was suddenly becoming his top priority. Servants were watching his every move, aware of how forcible he could be with the empress.

“I'll protect you Chizuru. I've always treated you as an equal. I was bound by another man. This was not my choice.” Trydian paused, hearing his voice intensify. “If I hadn't returned that sword...well, that's out of my control now. You're my new Master.” King Pendaran would feel the bind break and even question if it were genuine. Smiling at his own fate, he new his next words would hit a nerve.

“You were always on my mind.. even when I left...” Trydian shielded his emotions, becoming more aware of what he was sharing with her. Chizuru could handle herself and her kingdom. She didn't need him, yet apart of him wanted her to rely on him.

“If your vampire friend doesn't mind, I'll need to feast soon. You know what that involves...” Trydian would need to dine on blood, or flesh of a human. If she were going to be bound to him, she needed to understand what he was.

“What you did, has rendered me useless for protecting you. I'll need to gain my strength...” Stealing a kiss from her, he commented in a nonchalant manner. “But that is something I'll never be too weak for...”

Unless he fed soon, the demon strength in him, would equal the strength of a human. Chizuru had seen him weakened before, but it was a moment in history he didn't wish to revisit.