Desperation (Ari, PM to join)

[bloodbusiness]

(OoC: First RP post on KHD!!!)

Thoughts of blood and fear were heavy on Grey’s mind when he first awoke in Traverse Town. Like awaking from a nightmare, the images were distant and vague, but the feelings were overbearing. He observed the calm, warm summer’s night way of the town around him, when he noticed the mask on his face. That’s when his heart sank, and it all came rushing back to him.

Grey tried to remove the mask, but to no avail. Even the gauntlets on his arms were inevitably bound to him. Time passed, and Grey moved like a zombie to and from shops, asking if there was any food they could offer him for free. All of them looked at him with unsure eyes, all denying him food, possibly fearful of the dreadful mask he could not help but wear. Through out his search, Grey noticed two odd new sensations that he found rather disturbing. Before he entered a building, he had a rough idea of how many people were inside, based entirely on the smell of the place, like he’d gained some heightened senses. Also, whenever Grey smelled someone up-close, the pit in his stomach tumbled with hunger, and his fists ached with an entirely strange new desire to, literally, rip into that person. These things were coming too fast, and Grey’s fear and confusion grew as he began feeling more and more alone in this strange new place.

It wasn’t until Grey met a kind old baker that his search would end. The baker gave Grey a French style baguette that he was going to “throw out anyway.” Grey thanked him incessantly, doing his best to ignore his fist’s thirst for violence. Outside, Grey sat down on some steps and tore a small piece from the bread with his armored hand, but once that shred of hope was half way to his mouth, he felt like crying as he realized the mask completely covered his mouth.

Grey pulled, with steely clawed fingers, where the mask met his chin. The resistance was massively painful, like pulling teeth. He set down the bread and tried with both hands, breathing a thousand short breaths a minute. He groaned at the pain, but felt absolutely no progress. Grey dropped to his knees on the steps, grabbed firm to the sides of the mask with both hands, and pulled as hard as he possibly could, all welled up with frustration and regret and every other bad emotion one could feel at a time like this. He screamed in pain, but didn’t stop pulling. His sounds became frightening, he’d noticed, but he didn’t care. The pain didn’t even bother him, or not as much as the mask did. That pain did became too great, though, and he sort of collapsed down the rest of the stairs, rolling in rage and frustration. After getting to his knees, Grey let out an inhuman scream of rage and leftover emotions, feeling helpless.

Grey reached out for the bread, and crushed it in his dirty gauntlet, when he sensed, no, smelled someone’s presence behind him…

[halen2020]

Darkness was surging this night, unnatural and terrifying to those both sensitive and unused to the feeling. However, the man in the dark robe with the hood over his head was used to it. In the darkness, he felt confusion, fear, and sadness. Time to make an appearance. Ari walked along, seeking the source of the disturbance. Soon, he came upon... A young man, pulling on his head. No, a mask. It appeared to be arcanly fastened. "Dear boy, it will not come off that easily."

[bloodbusiness]

“ Oh yeah? You some kind’a expert?” Grey growled in response, without turning to look. He unclenched the crumbled loaf of bread and let the pieces fall as he raised an armored hand to his face, composing himself. ‘Deep breaths.’ he thought. Grey stood and turned, his eyes still smoldering with dismal passion through the frightful mask. At first glance the man, being a good three inches shorter and less muscular than Grey, was very unthreatening, but the way he carried himself hinted that something was there. The man’s face was pale, surrounded by a void of black hair and the deep hood of a dark cloak. Grey hummed thoughtfully. “What’s with the cloak? Are you cleric or something? You-uh, know anything about this sort of thing?” Grey felt unsure of himself. Strangers in a strange land.

[halen2020]

"A cleric, I am not. I am an acolyte of the Dark Arts, though I worked with many people who studied both Light and Anima magics. However, an expert I am. I can feel the darkness surrounding that mask. It is obviously an accursed artifact, which are difficult to get rid of at best. If you attempt to remove it by force, you will only succeed in tearing off your own face, which, incidentally, would still be attached. May I examine it for a moment? I may be able to determine the nature of its curse."

Ari's spell book appeared in his hand, and he flipped to the back few pages, where he kept a few simple spells to help him in research. "If you will allow me to cast a spell, I may be able to help you with this mask."

[bloodbusiness]

This man’s words brought a lot of brutal memories to Grey’s mind’s eye. He didn’t know how to trust this stranger, especially one who wants to cast a spell on his face. Grey stood unmoving for a moment, thoughtful, keeping himself composed despite the nearly overwhelming urge to attack the pale stranger. One thing Grey learned growing up: Overly kind strangers are probably cons or thieves, and no one does anything for free. Grey felt it in his gut as he remembered he wasn’t in Kansas anymore. What hell does he have to lose?

“Hm. Yeah, maybe. Is it just that simple? If you’d try whatever you can, I’d appreciate the help. Just…don’t steal my soul or anything.”

[halen2020]

Ari blinked. Steal his soul? "Two things. One, I am unsure of the procedure for removing souls. Two, I have no inclination to steal any souls. Now, do not move."

Ari ran his finger down the page. Detection was useless as he could see the mask, Removal did not work on such heavily spelled artifacts, but Read... Perhaps.

"Edra nos, ya edra," Ari intoned, touching the mask lightly. A small amount of writing appeared on the page of the spell book. He read it silently.

"It appears this mask is vampiric in naturel, or at least, meant to be worn by one. It grants the wearer many powers, but exacts an unknown price. It also does not seem to be removable, at least until the wearer is dead. Also, as a side note, it may have some small amount of sentience, though how this is I am unsure. I am sorry. There is not much I can do. And how you can survive with it on... It seems to make eating impossible, though drinking is. Of course, you must dunk your head in water to do so, but something is preferable to nothing. My advice to you is this: do not despair of the mask, but rather use what it offers to fight back against its fell mechanations. Perhaps it can be frustrated into removing itself..."

[bloodbusiness]

So many things at once. Grey sighed solemnly. “So you cant take it off…” He closed his eyes for a moment, turned around, and fell fast onto his rear, sitting at the bottom of the steppes.

“So much to absorb all at once, you know? This mask and armor, the things I’ve done, not to mention I don’t even know where the hell I am. All this in one day. It’s just so… ugh!” Grey released a guttural sound and thrust his fist straight down to the stone floor beside him, chipping it, to his great surprise. A mental note was made. “But god, listen to me, whining like some spoiled toddler. Everyone has a struggle to endure, I guess.” Grey took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He then looked up with wide eyes at the pale man in the dark cloak. “What’s your struggle, friend?” Grey was half smiling, but no one would know.

[halen2020]

"As for where we are, you are in a town called Traverse. It is a home for those who have lost theirs to the Heartless." Ari sat down, pushing his hood back. "Yes, everyone here has a struggle. For me, it is a lack of purpose. Not many here are interested in knowledge for the sake of knowledge, and few wish to associate with a practioner of the Dark Arts. An attitude especially prevalent amongst those who wield the light. And it is difficult to continue my studies without the help of both one of the Light, and a user of Anima."

[bloodbusiness]

Worlds lost by the Heartless? Grey thought for a moment, until the man sat down next to him, the urge to kill growing difficult to handle. Grey could only imagine that this is the man’s blood he’s smelling, considering he had said ‘Vampiric in nature.’ Clearing his throat and distracting himself with words, Grey carried on. “Ah, that explains the book, but you make it sound like people hate, uh,” Grey paused and looked at his gauntlets. “darkness? Is that what you said? It doesn’t seemed to so bad to me. You’re a pretty nice guy! People like nice guys.” Grey, holding his breath, offered his hand to the man. “The names Grey, by the way.”

[halen2020]

"Yes. Many hate the darkness. Unfortunately, they are not willing to take a chance that one person would buck the trend, to use a popular phrase." the boy offered both his name and his hand and Ari sadly said, "My name is Ari Karnes. I am sorry Grey, but I shall not be shaking your hand until you can dispose of your current hungers. Touching the mask was risk enough. Follow me, and you may be able to quench the mask's hunger." Ari stood abruptly, and looked at Grey, waiting for him to do likewise.

[bloodbusiness]

Apprehensively, Grey stood and faced Ari with excitement in his gut, and dread in his heart. He couldn’t say no, although since Ari said ’Vampiric in nature’ Grey knew what these new feelings meant. The legends were gruesome, but this was real, and now Grey himself may be the nightmare.

“I don’t…” Grey felt himself conflicted, having to actually dig for the definitions of right and wrong for the first time in his life. In a thousand word thought, the answer was clear as day. Grey smiled exuberantly beneath the mask and said “Who’s first?”

[halen2020]

"First, we need to find someone deserving of what you wish to do." Ari strode off towards the second district. There were rumors of a man stalking people there, killing them and plundering their corpses, and Ari quickly told them to Grey. At the door, Ari stopped, and said, "You shall stay here until the man approaches me. If he attacks, feel free to do what you will." Ari strode through the dorrway, and down into the square. He paused, and looked around hesitantly, as if lost. Sure enough, a man approached him.

"Hey buddy, you okay? You seem lost. You alone?"

"Yes, good man, I am lost. Where am I? What is this city?"

"Heheh, a first timer, huh? Goody. That means you ain't got backup!" The man charged forward, but Ari quickly sidestepped him, and waved to Grey.

[bloodbusiness]

Grey, who had been waiting in the shadow of an archway, moved promptly at Ari’s signal, ravenous for the violent payoff. The man in question’s face warped with surprise and his charge slowed as Grey’s claws and mask made themselves known. Hesitantly, the man held a dagger in his right hand at the ready, preparing to thrust into Grey’s chest, ironically, in self defense.

A knife-tipped arm lunged towards Grey in panic. The blade glinted, and a plated hand firmly grasped the wrist in question, halting the dagger abruptly. The man’s voice became flighty and concerned, until the crushing occurred, splintering the bones and breaking the skin, when the sounds grew chilling. The man’s free hand pulled and dug at the gauntlet and it’s talon-like fingers, but Grey was experiencing the most stunning, euphoric sensation he’d ever known, unable to be distracted. Blood was spilling from the wound, sinking into the armor, and flowing up through Grey’s arms into his chest, neck, and head. His veins grew bulbous and bright, lining the path from his left hand to his neck like a crimson road map.

The man struggled, but managed to get a grip on the knife with his other hand, and shoved it into the arm that crushed his wrist. Grey, suddenly infuriated, made a sound so low it was inhuman, and threw a right hook, shattering the man’s front teeth. Then that same hand grabbed hold of the mans rib cage, each finger placing itself between a rib, while the other hand did the same thing to man’s neck.

It wasn’t until Grey realized that he’d drained all the blood, and had been standing for minutes, twitching as the chills surfed his spine like a tsunami, that he fell to his knee’s. Grey searched for words, but there were none. What had he become, he wondered. Had he lost control? No. He acted lucidly.

[halen2020]

"Interesting... So, that is how it works... The next question is, how long until you must feed again? We shall find out I suppose. Grey, clean up your... mess. I shall meet you in the hotel. I need to look up a few things..."

Ari turned around, and walked back up the stairs thinking. It was obvious this boy would need help surviving in these worlds, as there were not enough villianous people to keep him alive, let alone satiate him. Perhaps is he took a prisoner, and only drained them partway... But that wouldn't work, and would be expensive to boot....