The Ballad of a Boy Named Suicide.

[Sophitia]

Sophitia listened to Kraven and motiond toward Ed. "Come, dress me!" It was an absurd demand, but one that would be heard time, and time again.
Ed would have to get used to her barking orders. The sense of command, was immediately felt and relished- until Ana made her voice heard again.
She did not feel the need to stay any longer. The mention of wolves sent her skin crawling with anticipation. Dawn created fear in her new body, but it was a sensation Sophitia would have to accept.

They arrived at her new quarters, with Blythe's belongings sprawled out. She motioned toward Ed, who would probably be too dumbstruck to react. It was the first time, that he would see little Sophi display such callous behavior toward another. This newly found emotion was something that she would constantly revisit.

"Dress me in her finest, Ed! I want to impress these wolves and I will not be wearing my old rags!"

Sophitia stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Ed to come to her call.

[Sage]

Edicius

Ed lumbered up the stone steps into the hall where Kraven and Sophi had found themselves. He took in all he could of her before she turned on him again. Despite what had become of her, and the obscenity now pouring from her young mouth, Sophi appeared a happy and healthy little girl. She was smiling, standing on her own strength, she was almost...bubbly. It was a morbid kind of feeling, but one of temporarily relief. At least she could not get worse like this, at least she was not sick.

When Sophi turned on him again, spitting orders without any regard for her own mortality or any feeling at all about Ed's attempt to save her whether anger for failing or gratefulness for his care. Ed resentfully followed her into Blythe's quarters, pulling the door closed behind him, with one last look of ire for Kraven. He spared no time in addressing his formerly living friend once they were alone. " Sophi. I'll fix this, fix us. And we can get out of here, Kraven's going to help me find a way for you to be mortal and healthy. " He mumbled under his breath, almost afraid that she would reject his efforts. His eyes found the floor while he spoke, afraid to see the terrible things Blythe might keep around her place, and even worse, Sophi's reaction to them.


Kraven

Kraven took great pleasure in Sophi's attitude, Ana's praise, and Ed's unbridled hate of him. It had been a rough start to this new relationship, but things were going amazingly for Kraven now. He turned back to his mistress, eyes widening and then quickly averting them from Ana's tempting form. " And there is no living soul who can claim, as I can, to be in the favor and presence of the most beautiful creature to have ever walked this miserable earth. " Kraven, afraid to look upon Ana's magnificence lest he be distracted from her words, focused on his own appearance as she spoke to him, drawing a finger across his chest which began to shine briefly before swelling. Kraven seemed to inflate, black armor seemingly growing from his skin as he called it from his home. It was black as obsidian to match Ana's gown, and as it finished taking shape and hardening, trim erupted from it's edges in bright gold. Finally, a winged sun took form on his chest and right pauldron, Kraven's own insignia. He pondered for a moment on whether a cloak or cape might be appropriate, and whether he should choose one with the seal of the VonHagen house. He would be representing them soon to the wolves, but was it assuming too much on his part? He had such a garment to call upon, but it was homemade and did not do justice to some of the more extravagant things Ana wore with her seal upon it.

" I will make sure Sophi is everything you might desire, and I will gladly help in her training where I am more qualified than tutors I might be able to find. The boy...I fear, may not be all of what I expected, and for that I apologize. " Kraven cringed a bit at the thought of the hole in his Mistress' chest, and his own nearly-mortal wound. " I wish I could do as much to heal you as I can myself, I feel selfish for even living. You can rest assure Blythe will receive a hundred fold what she dealt to you in my care. " Kraven slumped a bit in the corridor, the armored giant seemed afflicted with the most terrible disease, thinking about how his failures in logic and ability had caused disappointment and even harm to come to Anabel. He made a mental note to make sure he used his time with Blythe to attempt to find a way to channel his magic and knowledge into a way to heal Anabel's kind.

Kraven turned his eyes back to Ana as she held her hands out to him, still worried that his own appearance was not up to a standard worthy of her. All fears about how he should tie his hair, whether he should be carrying a weapon, and what kind of fabric to hang from his shoulders dissolved when she stood and looked at him with that anticipation, and he was glad she had let him into her mind, as he could be most sincere, and she could discern the depth of his feeling when he spoke to her in such a way with their minds open to one another. He took her hands as he approached, standing closer than he would normally dare, looking down into her incredibly lovely eyes.

Have I told you today that you are gorgeous, my Lady?

[Jen]

Ana's full lips curled into a smile. She was arguably the greatest huntress in existence, and still the words of a man -- though not just any man -- could bring a smile to her pretty little vampire face.

You flatter me, Kraven. I enjoy this new side of you.

Ana's hands tightened around Kravens and she smiled, looking at the ground a moment before leaning forward on her toes and pressing a kiss to Kraven's lips. She was careful of her mouth, careful not to bite him or graze him with her teeth. Her fangs were a weapon and a way to survive, not something used to hurt loved ones.

Loved ones.

The thought would pass unhindered through Anabel's mind before she turned from Kraven and began her walk to the meeting room. The emissaries from the Desert lands were in attendance to the Mother this evening. They had some concerns about offspring in the desert and were seeking her guidance and knowledge in eliminating any threat the strange children might be equipped with. Kraven would be forced to take a stride that put him on her right as she was flanked by her own vampiric guard. Some gave her strange looks as she descended the stairs in a fine procession. Her children, the ones that lived with her in her manor, all stared unabashedly as she walked by. Black was a color that suited Anabel VonHagen's pale skin just as much as blood.

With delicate and refined movements, Ana motioned at the guards of the meeting room and they opened the doors -- allowing her not a pause as she walked into the room. There were fifteen emissaries, all told, and they looked rested but tired from their journey.

"I welcome you, my Children, into my house." Ana spoke, giving a stiff bow of her head.

"Thank you, Mother." The bow was ritualistic, and not one that she had imparted upon her oldest children. It was something they had conjured up in their minds to pay homage to her. She smiled, stiffly and took her seat at the meeting table. Her's was a position raised above the rest as was fitting for the one that created a race. She could have let it die with her, but then the Goddess that had granted her these horrible powers knew that she wouldn't.

"Your problems are strange to me. Who speaks for the land of the sun?"

A young man stepped forward with short cropped red hair. He bowed low for a moment before taking his seat at the other end of the table. The others quickly ensued with Anabel's guard flanked behind her back. Nobody was allowed to touch her except her guard and, of course, Kraven. It was protocol for her safety.

"I am honored that you would allow us to speak with you on such a grave matter. It is a difficult place, Xexoria. Ever since the End we have been faced with new territory to hold. There are not many of your children left on the Island, and the ones that have been created are...different." The troubled look in the young man's eyes caught Ana's attention. She leaned in her chair, resting her chin on her hand. She crossed her legs and pursed her lips, thinking as the man spoke further.

"I am not the first to notice these strange occurences. The children are mutated. Their eyes are ice blue and they have difficulties."

"Difficulties, Gerard?" Ana asked, suddenly curious by the man's inability to convey the truth.

"They do not lust after human blood. They do not even lust after the blood of animals." The pause was there. There was a flicker of fear in the old Vampire's eyes. Ana had known him a long time, had changed him during one of her excursions through Xexoria long ago.

"What do they lust after? What do they feed on, Gerard?" That the man knew not to keep her waiting, and yet had a monumentally hard time speaking about this problem -- well that spoke volumes.

"Vampires." The word was spoken so low that even Ana had to focus on it.

"They feed on Vampires? These children are of Vampires are they not?"

"Yes, Mistress. They are the by product of turned vampires. Have you heard of anything like this before? There is no shortage of flesh on the Island with which to gorge ourselves. We cannot understand why these fledglings are feeding on full grown Vampires. And, Mistress, I do not mean to say that they are simply using them for blood. It is nothing as when you allowed me to drink of your blood. They hunger for it -- they drink until we turn into dried husks or dust."

The room fell silent as Ana thought. Was this nature's way of keeping balance? Were these to be strange predators perpetuated by an ever inflating race?

"Speak of this to no one. If anyone can capture one of these creatures have it brought to me. Do we know their weaknesses? How many are there, do you know?" Ana spoke rapidly as she rose to her feet and paced. It was important to know such measures if anything was to be done.

"There are twenty. All turning has been ceased in Xexoria until we can understand the nature of this perversion. I anticipated that you would want a live creature and have made it clear to have one detained and sent to you at any cost."

"In the mean time, Gerard, keep my children safe. Yourself included. I do not want an entire continent of my children erased by some genetic mutation. I assume they feed when we do?"

"Yes, Mistress. They attack and feed when we do."

"Go in multiples when you feed. It will increase the chances of capturing one of the creatures and ensure survival."

"Yes, mistress."

"Now rest. The dining hall is filled with your dinner. I will join you after you are done." It was a dismissal that did not have to be spoken twice. The fifteen emissaries bowed in unison and departed swiftly from the room. Anabel held out her hand for Kraven as she mused. The news was interesting and potentially catastrophic, but Gerard had taken the necessary precautions without needing to be told.

This news is unsettling, Kraven. When one is found I will send it to you. It needs to be examined thoroughly.

The distant screams made Ana smile briefly.

"They are feeding well, my children. You." Ana pointed at all the guard behind Kraven that belonged to her. "Bring Sophi and Ed to the dining hall once it is cleaned. Leave us now." Ana turned to Kraven and smiled. They had to discuss what this might be.

[Sage]

Kraven
Kraven was lost in his admiration of Anabel, almost to the point of being left behind as she departed. Love. Kraven's eyes shone brilliantly in his pleasure, and he came to march beside his Mistress, to present himself as her Champion, and a prize to be only hers as they met with the foreign Children. His mind became troubled as they confessed their woes. He immediately began shuffling through his encyclopedic knowledge of all the realm's creatures, readying himself to give any possible insight. When they turned to leave, and Ana spoke to him in his own mind she would catch a brief glimpse of hundreds of images and the pages of ancient tomes blurring in and out of sight only to stop immediately at the end of her sentence.

That would be most wise, and unpleasant a circumstance as it was, it is fortuitous I now have a live specimen of your Children to examine alongside it. Such occurrences of drastic and immediate mutation are rare, and more often than not, intentional. I have no way to be sure without contact with one of the creatures, but even you had your Maker, Anabel. It does not bode well that there is a possibility of someone or something tampering with vampire-kind. I just hope that they have been granted any immunity to their normal weaknesses.

In my opinion, the fact that they feed during the night rather than prey on vampires while they are vulnerable means that at the very least, they should be vulnerable during the daytime. I would gladly go to join the hunt, and use my ability to eradicate this blight if it is your wish. I can entrance a larger number of men to join our Day's Guard while I am overseas.

Though Kraven mentally portrayed one side of his concern, she would easily see the other while the connection between their minds remained even partially open. Kraven was as worried with this new development as he was terrified that it might cause even a temporary separation between himself and his Mistress, especially with a particularly-powerful newborn crashing about the manor.

[Sophitia]

After Ed had dressed her, she made sure that he understood his place. (He would always be by her side and she wouldn't hesitate to tell that to Kraven. ) Blythe had horrible tastes in clothes. Each piece had been gone through and some torn in frustration. Her very self was changing at a rapid pace- she was not the innocent girl, who had been brought to Ana days before.

"Such an ugly girl, who will make an ugly necklace around my neck!"

The new creatures would be arriving soon. She had only been told of these mythical creatures by her father at bedtime. Sophi never dreamned of actually coming face-to-face with one, or becoming a fabled creature herself.

"I will test my powers on you Ed. I think that you are a strong man for me." Still young, she didn't really know what she was saying or asking. Sophitia only knew that Ed had been with her from the beginning. He might question her, but that questioning would turn into obedience.

"Sit! I will need you to be still." Her eyes glistened with a hopeful pleasure. Maybe she could impress Ana again- her new mother. It seemed like this world revolved around Ana, so she should concentrate on making her happy.

Watching Ed sit, she felt her emotions turn into a rapid fury. Her eyes almost shimmered with anticipation. Her body was telling her that she had a limit, but she naturally went against her instinct. Ed would be terrified of her- she would look like something out of his nightmares.

That was the plan.

Ed would feel the sensation of the room darkening and isolating his body. He wouldn't be able to see Sophi, or call out to her. Any attempt at making a plea, would be cut off by the darkness enveloping him. The opaque dorm continurd to fall around Ed, while Sophitia smiled at her creation. She didn't know, that she was using up most of her energy, but relished in her fluke achievement, regardless of circumstances.

Everything that Ed feared would come to fruitation. His nightmares would become walking manifestations. She would be able to hear his screams, his inability to control his fears. This was something she was counting on-

...but her experimentation was quickly interrupted by the men coming to collect them. She huffed, the men looking onward in confusion. Ed would be sitting there, with an expression of pure terror, but the men wouldn't be able to account for his mysterious bout.

Sophitia bowed the guards and smiled to herself, allowing the men to escort them to Ana.

[Sage]

The feeling coming over him was a familiar one, and he tensed as he braced to bear it's weight. With the terror would come the involuntary reflex of Totesauge with the surge of extreme emotion. If she wished to see his fears, she would have to watch into his dead, blind eyes while they manifested. She would have to reach deep inside herself to understand all that was left to frighten a child who had been forced to leave weaknesses behind. As the blackness enveloped him, he attempted to make Sophi see reason, but he had no voice with which to protest. The earth shook gently, and then came the images.

Slowly, three figures cloaked in black fire would make themselves visibly apparent in the room. In the middle, a tall statuesque man with eyes of red and no other distinguishing features towered over a funeral pyre. Those evil eyes of his narrowed in amusement as the bodies of two females burned alive, shackled to the ground with bindings made of rock, seemingly naturally formed just for this purpose. Standing to either side of the man were two boys whom shared his overpowering eyes, but features like Edicius. In fact, the shorter boy had facial features almost identical to Edicius, save a few scars that did not match his brothers.

Across the pyre hunched an apparition of pale grey, with wispy white eyes. One of it's limbs was buried in the ground, and from the other poured almost liquid flame that fed the fire that burned the girl and the woman. The scene went on for what seemed like forever, and when it was finally broken up from the intrusion, Edicius was standing in the place of the spirit and Sophitia was standing in the middle of where the pyre had been, illusory flames slowly fading from her body. Edicius gave Sophitia a hateful stare as he inhaled sharply for the first time in several minutes. He coughed and sputtered as his eyes returned to normal, and they would not give away any sense of fear as his body, mind, and face had. She would be able to tell that Edicius had completely lost any faith in their bond. She had betrayed his willingness to give her what she wanted, defiled the trust he had in their friendship.

Edicius groaned as he fought to stand, and was suddenly aware that there were two slender cuts down his back, and he felt raised bumps on his shoulder blades which plagued him with an uncomfortable burning. He reached to feel them, and it felt as though his bones were trying to push out of his skin. The spots were tender to the touch, and so he left them alone as he turned his attention back to Sophitia.

" I hope you enjoyed that Sophi. Next time, I'm afraid you won't see yourself in my fears alive or dead. "

Edicius walked to the men, spoke quietly with him once, and was directed to a chamber on the other side of the Estate where he could dress in private.

[Jen]

Ana sat as still as a statue for a few minutes, listening to Kraven and to the hollow horrified screams echoing from down the hall. When those were cut short, and time enough had passed for the room to be wiped clean of evidence, Anabel VonHagen rose to her feet quickly and fluidly.

"There is no need. You will stay with me. My children will be more than capable of sending one of the creatures to your estate. Once it is there notify me immediately and for my sake stay clear of its fangs. We will not know what it will do when cornered. I trust you have shackles strong enough to hold my children otherwise you would not have taken Blythe." It wasn't a question but a simple statement as she walked across the room.

Anabel quickly walked down the hall toward the formal dining room and cast a glance at Kraven. He was an incredible specimen of mortality. He was strong, capable, and unafraid of her. She was the veritable queen of darkness and he was, as she had found earlier in the evening, the very key to breaking her apart. What was he doing in Kalmarden with her? Ana frowned, her thoughts closed to Kraven for the time being. Come to think of it, when had he come to Kalmarden? She couldn't remember her life without him. But then, as it quite often happened, there were swatches of Anabel's life that she couldn't recall. Anabel had been alive a very, very long time. She smiled reflexively as she looked at Kraven before bursting through the double doors into the dining hall.

"Now that you have fed, please be entertained by the newest addition to my family. Do greet young mistress Sophitia with a degree of respect for she is one of my favorites." Anabel motioned for the unseen Sophi to enter to hall. "You have an hour Sophi then it is to bed with you for the sun rises thereafter."

Ana leaned against Kraven for a moment, feeling tired from the days events. Even immortals could get bone weary -- especially when a quarter of their blood reserves had been spilled in one sitting. Ana sighed and rested her head on Kraven's shoulder and closed her eyes, readying herself for whatever form of entertainment Sophi would have in mind for their guests.

"Don't forget the wolves. For once I wish that I were capable of seeing the sun rise, even if it meant only living for a single day. I am sure that many things would change in the world if that were to occur." Ana smiled and winked slyly at Kraven before turning her head to watch Sophi, her head still resting on Kraven's shoulder. It was obvious who the ultimate favorite of the Mother of Vampires truely was.

[Sophitia]

OOC: Forgive me! You can hang me upside down and let the seagulls peck at my innards!

Sophitia was too excited to notice the mood Ed was displaying her. She was still a new vampire, so she hadn't gained the skill to read others. Rushing to greet Ana, she held something awkwardly in the other hand: it was a ring. Upon closer inspection, Ana and the other guests would notice that it was made out of bone. To outsiders, this would be a chilling observation, but this would only be another initiation for Sophitia. She wanted the others to know the relationship between her and Ana. They would have matching rings, each one had been made from the remains of Blythe.

"Your ring is made of her fangs. Now all traitorous vampires will understand who has the upper hand." She had never liked Blythe, even when they been forced to share some courtesy in front of Ana. Her thoughts went to Ed and she smiled genuinely. "I wonder....do we have to put another vampire in their place?"

Forgiving herself in front of the guests, she curtsied as she was trained to do so. Kraven had suddenly become her new favorite person, so it disappointed her that she was left to entertaining the guests. The sun would be arriving shortly and she barely understood what it did to their kind.

She used her strange gifts to create images in the fireplace. The guests were amused, but some might have displayed uneasiness. Sophitia would have a lot to learn about displaying ones power in public.